asked the Home Secretary whether he can now state when he proposes to introduce the Bill dealing with the legitimation of children by the subsequent marriage of their parents?

I regret I am not in a position to add anything to the answer given on the 4th instant.

Does not my right hon. Friend realise that he has already allowed the greater part of the Session to go by without making any apparent move, and that if later on it is said that time will not permit the introduction of this Measure and will not be considered as relieving him of responsibility?

I hope that my hon. Friend will not suppose that I have been doing nothing. This is a much more difficult matter than he supposes. I have been giving it the most careful consideration and discussing it with the law officers and others.

Did not the right hon. Gentleman ask an hon. Member not to proceed with a Bill on the subject as the Government were going to introduce a Bill?

That is true, because the Bill brought forward seemed to us to be inadequate and it would have been very difficult to do anything with it.

Before Whitsuntide did not the right hon. Gentleman promise to introduce it in a few days?

I am not sure that I gave that pledge, but certainly I did promise, and I will carry out the promise, to bring in a Bill as soon as I can.

Will it be in this Session?

It may be brought in, but I am afraid that it will not be possible to proceed with it, but I hope that we may be able to bring in a Bill which will show exactly what we propose.