§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House, a Question of which I have given him private notice. My Question is: To ask His Majesty's Government if their attention has been called to the disturbances which were created at the Bar of this House on Thursday last by members of the House of Commons during the Royal Commission and the Division, and whether they propose to take any steps in the matter?
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Earl for his courtesy. Your Lordships are always most careful not to use any language which would show the least disrespect to the House of Commons and in my reply to the noble Earl I shall, of course, be guided by that rule. You are, no doubt, aware that a Question was put in the House of Commons last night to the Speaker, calling his attention to the disorder which took place at the Bar and in the Galleries of this House last Thursday, and asking whether he was prepared to make any statement on the subject. The Speaker expressed his opinion on this deplorable occurrence in terms which I need not say leave nothing to be desired. He was speaking of the incident which took place before the Royal Commission, but I am sure he would have equally condemned what took place during our debate, and I am absolutely convinced that in what he said he represented the feeling of the vast majority of members of the House of Commons. In these circumstances I do not think that on the present occasion any action on the part of this House is called for, but I should not be doing my duty if I did not add that in my judgment no repetition of such interruption, either during our debate or at the time of the signification of the Royal Assent, could be permitted without immediate action 1000 by your Lordships, or, rather, after what the Speaker has stated, I may say by both Houses of Parliament.