asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, having regard to the Act of 6 Henry VIII., c. 16, enacting that no Member of Parliament shall absent himself from attendance therein except he have licence of the Speaker and the Commons, and the same licence be entered on record in the Book of the Clerk of the Parliament appointed for the Commons House kept for that purpose and deprived of their wages, he proposes to take any steps to cause the law to be observed or to repeal the Act?

I am not aware that there is any precedent in recent years for the enforcement of the law referred to as regards attendance in the House of Commons. The matter does not appear to be one in which the Government are called upon to take any action.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the circumstances are altered owing to payment of Members?

Members were paid then as they are now.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the hon. Member for East-bourne was absent from 424 Divisions—

We cannot go into these statistics.

I beg to give notice that I shall raise this question on the Adjournment to-night.