On Thursday the House of Commons resumed its debate on
Procedure. The Government plan, it may be as well to remind our readers, is that after a Bill has been read a second time it is to be sent to a Standing Committee, unless the House, on a Motion voted on without debate, orders other- wise. From the operation of this rule Bills for imposing taxation, or Consolidated Fund or Appropriation Bills, are to be excluded. Thursday's debate turned chiefly upon pro- posals to add as exceptions Bills involving any charge upon the people; but this was opposed by the Government, who would not go beyond giving a general assurance that the control of the House in Committee over all important financial Bills was to continue. It was proposed also to exempt Reform Bills, and Bills modifying any powers of the Crown, or of either House of Parliament ; but these proposals were also negatived. When an amendment for the exclusion of Bills dealing with the Army and Reserve Forces or the Navy was brought forward, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman moved the adjourn- ment of the House, declaring that it was idle to ask the Government to discuss these limiting amendments one after another, when they had announced repeatedly that none of them could be accepted. He intimated that a Motion would be put upon the Order Paper for the limitation of further discussion of the new Procedure Rules. This Motion is to be submitted on Monday, and the Government also propose to finish the debate compulsorily on Tuesday. No doubt the Government will be able to force their scheme through the House. The result, however, must be still further to postpone the time for coming to close quarters with the legislative work of the Session.
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