§ THE EARL OF MIDLETONMy Lords, I should like to ask the Lord Chancellor a Question with regard to which I have already communicated with him. Your Lordships are aware that the debate on Ireland had to be adjourned last Thursday on the Motion of the noble Marquess, Lord Salisbury, till to-day, as your Lordships were not sitting on Monday, and the Ministerial reply could not be made on Thursday. It will be almost impossible to conclude the debate, in which a number of your Lordships are interested, if other measures which are likely to consume any time are to be taken before It. I understand that the Dentists Bill is likely to provoke a considerable amount of discussion— possibly for an hour, or an hour and a half. I would ask the noble and learned Lord to use his influence with the noble Earl in charge of the Bill (Lord Onslow) to postpone it, in order to enable this discussion, which it was clearly understood would be concluded to-day, to take place.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (LORD) BIRKENHEAD)My Lords, it unfortunately happens that my noble friend is not in his place at the moment, and the noble Earl has addressed a Question to me with which I have no special competence to deal. But it is evident that many of your Lordships who are here to-day take, perhaps, a more general than a particular interest in the Dentists Bill, and are rather brought here by the subject of Ireland. My noble friend (the Earl of Onslow), and not I, has the responsibility for the Dentists Bill, and he is in a position to judge as well as I can that it would be very acceptable, I believe, to mot of your Lordships if the progress of his Bill could be postponed.
THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (THE EARL OF ONSLOW)My Lords, I am very glad to meet the convenience of the House in postponing the Bill, if it is your Lordships' wish.