§ Sir DONALD MACLEANWith regard to the notice suspending the Eleven o'Clock Rule to-night will the Leader of the House say to what hour he proposes to sit? After one or half-past One o'clock it is almost impossible to get any means of conveyance.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI should not like to name an hour. The right hon. Gentleman must know quite well that the business has got to be done before we adjourn, and I think that we must wait and have regard to -what happens.
§ Sir J. REMNANTWill the right hon. Gentleman see his way to give time for a discussion on the Motion which stands in my name, which seeks to record the thanks of the House of Commons to our Prime Minister for his invaluable services during the War and at the Peace Conference?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo. Apart from any other reason I may say that I called the attention of my right hon. Friend to the notice on the Paper, and it is his desire that no such step should be taken. In these circumstances I do not think it wise to discuss the Motion.
Mr. KENNEDY JONESDoes my right hon. Friend think it desirable or necessary to rush through the Committee stage of the Profiteering Bill, to which there are eleven pages of Amendments, in the small hours of the morning, seeing that it is a measure which affects the interests of every person in this country, in order to allow us to get away one day earlier?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI do not think it desirable, but I think that it may be necessary.
§ Lord HUGH CECILWhen the right hon. Gentleman says the business must be done "which business does he mean?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWTo-day we hope—and we will do what we can to realise that hope—to make sure of the first two Orders
§ Sir D. MACLEANWill the right hon. Gentleman say what business it proposed to take to-morrow?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt must be dependent on what happens to-day. We propose to take to-morrow the Report and Third Reading of the Profiteering Bill, the Lords Amendments to the Acquisition of Land Bill and other Bills, and, if there be time, the Sex Disqualification Bill.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he intends to take, this side of the Recess, the Chief Secretary's magnum opus—the Bill to increase the Dog Tax in Ireland?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHMay I ask, then, whether it is intended to take the Rats Bill to-night, and, if so, what Minister will be in charge of it?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the second part, therefore, does not arise.
§
Ordered,
That Government business be exempted at this day's Sitting from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House)."—[Mr. Bonar Law.]