§ Sir ALFRED MONDasked the Prime Minister whether, on the demise of Queen Victoria, Section 51 of the Representation of the People Act, 1867, prescribing the duration of Parliament, was held to apply to Ireland as being part of the electoral law of the United Kingdom; whether Section 9 of the same Act, prescribing the use of the limited vote in three-Member Parliamentary constituencies, may similarly be held to apply to Ireland as being part of the electoral law of the United Kingdom; whether, as the method of voting to be used in the three, four, and five-Member Parliamentary constituencies set up by Clauses 9 and 13 of the Government of Ireland Bill is not set forth in any part of the Bill, he will, in order to avoid any possible ambiguity or doubt as to the construction or application of the existing electoral law of the United Kingdom, move Amendments on the Report stage clearly prescribing the method of voting to be used in these constituencies; and, if not,
whether he will state for the information of the House what Statute of Statutes prescribe the method of voting to be used at the first elections in these constituencies.
§ The PRIME MINISTERSection 51 of the Act of 1867 applies in terms to the continuance of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Section 9 is confined to constituencies in England and Wales. Under Clause 9 of the Bill Members of the Irish House of Commons are to be elected in the same manner as Members returned by constituencies in Ireland to serve in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.