I should not have mentioned either subject but for the fact that the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Sir W. Darling) interrupted me with a question.

We also want an assurance that the cost of printing this register shall be fairly divided between the Imperial Exchequer and the Exchequer of Northern Ireland, for it is quite clear that we ought not to have to pay for the vagaries of the election law in Northern Ireland. In as much as additional printing is necessary it should be made quite clear that in addition to paying on the numbers of registers used we should also pay a proportionate cost of preparing the register for various purposes.

As I understand, there are not merely two franchises involved but three. There is, I understand, one franchise for the Imperial Parliament, another for the Northern Ireland Parliament, and a third for local government elections in Northern Ireland. It is quite clear that what appears as a single register is a very complicated document. The complications are not caused by this country but by what happens on the other side of the water.

I hope that the Under-Secretary will be able to give us an assurance that the cost will be equitably shared between the Imperial Exchequer and the Treasury of Northern Ireland on the basis of the comparative cost of the document when it is printed and published. I do not want to go beyond that in what I have to say tonight. To venture on any comment beyond what I have made on the subject of the franchise of Northern Ireland would probably be out of order and certainly would lead us to a very acrimonious debate. We can only welcome the fact that a descendant of the famous author of "Self-Help" lives up to the principle as far as the electoral opportunities in Northern Ireland are concerned.