§ 45. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that some two years ago he undertook to 2106 provide an opportunity to discuss the Estimates of the three fighting Services as a whole and together, so that the allocation of expenditure and the coordination of the three Services, with consequential economies, could be examined, he will say when he proposes to give time for such discussion?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs I have repeatedly stated, the Government would welcome a discussion on the question of defence as a whole, but this is a matter for arrangement through the usual channels.
§ Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he realises that we have only 20 Supply days and that the Opposition have the greatest difficulty in discussing the increased number of Ministries that have been set up; and can he not give a special day for the discussion of this very important matter?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIf it is a matter of such importance and the Opposition have not availed themselves of their opportunity for discussing it, I hope they will do so.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs the Prime Minister not aware that the promise which he gave was given to the hon. and gallant Member for Fareham (Sir J. Davidson) and to other hon. Members on his own side of the House? I am about the only Member on this side of the House who has been pressing for this discussion.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI must ask the hon. and gallant Member to use his influence with his own party.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs the Prime Minister aware that there are a great many Conservative Members who want this discussion to take place? Before the War we used to have a discussion on the Committee of Defence Vote, and now we have three fighting Services to deal with instead of two.
§ Mr. STEPHENCannot the Prime Minister arrange with some of the Members who have been successful in the ballot for a discussion of this subject?
§ Mr. SNOWDENMay I ask the Prime Minister if he will state the business for next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROn Monday, a Debate will take place on the Report of the Board of Inquiry appointed to investigate certain statements affecting civil servants. The Report and Third Reading of the Rating and Valuation Bill and of the Rating (Scotland) (Amendment) Bill will also be taken, and, if time permits, other Orders on the Paper.
On Tuesday, the Report stage of the Army and Air Estimates.
On Thursday, the Report stage of the Navy Estimates and Civil Excess Vote, and Ways and Means Report.
§ Mr. SNOWDENArising out of the business for Monday, the Prime Minister is probably aware that the Debate will take place on a Motion that we are handing in to-day, asking for an inquiry into all the circumstances connected with what is known as the Zinovieff letter. May I ask, further, if the right hon. Gentleman can give the date on which the Chancellor of the Exchequer will open the Budget; and, also, if the date has been fixed for the Second Reading of the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Bill, and what time it
§ is proposed to give for the Second Reading?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWith regard to the last question, we propose to give one day, and to take it on Thursday, 29th March. The date of the Budget will be Tuesday, 24th April.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI have been sending messages through the usual channels but they do not seem to have arrived. May I inquire what business it is intended to take to-night, in case the Motion in the name of the Prime Minister is passed?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is only to ensure getting the Navy Votes—nothing else—except, of course, the formal Ways and Means Resolution, which has to be moved after that.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That the Proceedings on Government Business be exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House)."—[The Prime Minister.]
§ The House divided: Ayes, 225: Noes, 123.
2109| Division No. 38.] | AYES. | [3.51 p.m. |
| Albery, Irving James | Carver, Major W. H. | Ganzoni, Sir John |
| Alexander, E. E. (Leyton) | Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Gates, Percy |
| Allen, J. Sandeman (L'pool,W.Derby) | Cazalet, Captain Victor A. | Gault, Lieut-Col. Andrew Hamilton |
| Amery, Rt. Hon. Leopold C. M. S. | Cecil, Rt. Hon Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) | Glyn, Major R. G. C. |
| Apsley, Lord | Charteris, Brigadier-General J. | Goff, Sir Park |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. | Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. |
| Baidwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Churchman, Sir Arthur C. | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John |
| Balniel, Lord | Clayton, G. C. | Grotrian, H. Brent |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Cockerill, Brig.-General Sir George | Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. |
| Beamish, Rear-Admiral T. P. H. | Cooper, A. Duff | Gunston, Captain D. W. |
| Beckett, Sir Gervase (Leeds, N.) | Cope, Major William | Hacking, Douglas H. |
| Beliairs, Commander Carlyon | Couper, J. B. | Hall, Lieut-Col, Sir F. (Dulwich) |
| Bennett, A. J. | Courtauld, Major J. S. | Hall, Capt. W. D'A. (Brecon & Rad.) |
| Berry, Sir George | Crooke, J. Smedley (Deritend) | Hamilton, Sir George |
| Betterton, Henry B. | Crookshank, Col. C. de W. (Berwick) | Hammersley. S. S. |
| Birchall, Major J. Dearman | Crookshank,Cpt.H.(Lindsey,Gainsbro) | Harmsworth, Hon. E. C. (Kent) |
| Bird, E. R. (Yorks, W. R., Skipton) | Culverwell, C. T. (Bristol, West) | Harrison, G. J. C. |
| Bird, Sir R. B. (Wolverhampton, W.) | Curzon, Captain Viscount | Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) |
| Blades, Sir George Rowland | Davies, Dr. Vernon | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) |
| Biundell, F. N. | Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Headlam, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. |
| Boothby, R. J. G. | Drewe, C. | Henderson, Capt. R. R.(Oxf'd, Henley) |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft. | Eden, Captain Anthony | Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. |
| Bowyer, Capt. G. E. W. | Edmondson, Major A. J. | Henn, Sir Sydney H. |
| Brass, Captain W. | Edwards, John H. (Accrington) | Hills, Major John Walter |
| Brassey, Sir Leonard | Elliot, Major Walter E. | Hilton, Cecil |
| Bridgeman, Rt. Hon. William Clive | Ellis, R. G. | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. |
| Briogs, J. Harold | England, Colonel A. | Holbrook, Sir Arthur Richard |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Erskine, Lord (Somerset, Weston-s.-M.) | Hopkins, J. W. W. |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith | Hopkinson, Sir A. (Eng. Universities) |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Evans, Captain A. (Cardiff, South) | Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) |
| Brooke, Brigadier-General. C. R. I. | Everard, W. Lindsay | Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. |
| Broun-Lindsay, Major H. | Fairfax, Captain J. G. | Hume, Sir G. H. |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen.H.C.(Berks. Newb'y) | Falle, Sir Bertram G. | Huntingfield, Lord |
| Buckingham, Sir H. | Fanshawe, Captain G. D. | Hurd, Percy A. |
| Burgoyne, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Alan | Fielden, E. B. | Hurst, Gerald B. |
| Burman, J. B. | Forestier-Walker, Sir L. | Iveagh, Countess of |
| Burton, Colonel H. W. | Forrest, W. | Jackson, Sir H. (Wandswerth, Cen'l) |
| Butler, Sir Geoffrey | Foster, Sir Harry S. | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert |
| Campbell, E. T. | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Jephcott, A. R. |
| Joynson-Hicks, Rt. Hon. Sir William | Nuttall, Ellis | Stanley, Lord (Fylde) |
| Kennedy, A. R. (Preston). | Oakley, T. | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. |
| King, Commodore Henry Douglas | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Streatfelid, Captain S. R. |
| Kinioch-Ceoks, Sir Clement | Penny, Frederick George | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser |
| Knox, Sir Alfred | Percy, Lord Eustace (Hastingts) | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid |
| Lloyd, Cyril E. (Dudley) | Perkins, Colonel E. K. | Thompson, Luke (Sunderland) |
| Locker-Lampson, G. (Wood Green) | Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell- |
| Loder, J. de V. | Peto, G. (Somerset, Frome) | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Long, Major Eric | Pownall, Sir Assheton | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Looker, Herbert William | Preston, William | Turton, Sir Edmund Russborough |
| Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vere | Raine, Sir Walter | Vaughan-Morgan, Col. K. P. |
| Luce, Maj.-Gen. Sir Richard Harman | Reid, Capt. Cunningham(Warrington) | Waddington, R. |
| Lumiey, L. R. | Remnant, Sir James | Wallace, Captain D. E. |
| Lynn, Sir R. J. | Rentoul, G. S. | Ward, Col. J. (Stoke-upon-Trent) |
| MacAndrew, Major Charles Glen | Rice, Sir Frederick | Ward, Lt.-Col. A.L.(Kingston-on-Hull) |
| McDonnell, Colonel Hon. Angus | Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch'ts'y) | Warrender, Sir Victor |
| Maclntyre, Ian | Roberts, Sir Samuel (Hereford) | Watson, Rt. Hon. W. (Carlisle) |
| McLean, Major A. | Ropner, Major L. | Watts, Dr. T. |
| Macnaghten, Hon. Sir Malcolm | Russell, Alexander West- (Tynemouth) | Wayland, Sir William A. |
| Macquisten, F. A. | Salmon, Major I. | Wells, S. R. |
| MacRobert, Alexander M. | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) | White, Lieut.-Col Sir G. Dairymple |
| Maitland, A. (Kent, Faversham) | Sandeman, N. Stewart | Williams, A. M. (Cornwall, Northern) |
| Maitland, Sir Arthur D. Steel- | Sanderson, Sir Frank | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Makins, Brigadier-General E. | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. | Williams, Herbert G. (Reading) |
| Malone, Major P. B. | Savery, S. S. | Winby, Colonel L. P. |
| Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn | Shaw, R. G. (Yorks, W.R., Sowerby) | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Margesson, Captain D. | Shaw, Lt.-Col. A.D. Mcl.(Renfrew,W.) | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Mason, Colonel Glyn K. | Shepperson, E. W. | Womersley, W. J. |
| Meller R. J. | Skelton, A. N. | Wood, B. C. (Somerset, Bridgwater) |
| Mitchell, S. (Lanark, Lanark) | Smith, R. W. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir Kingsley |
| Mitchell, W. Foot (Saffron Walden) | Smith-Carington, Neville W. | Woodcock, Colonel H. C. |
| Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) | Smithers, Waldron | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury) | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) | |
| Morrison-Bell, Sir Arthur Clive | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Nall, Colonel Sir Joseph | Sprot, Sir Alexander | Mr. F. C. Thomson and Major Sir |
| Nicholson, O. (Westminster) | Stanley, Lieut.-Colonel Rt. Hon. G.F. | George Hennessy. |
| Nicholson,Col. Rt. Hn.W.G. (Ptrsf'ld.) | ||
| NOES. | ||
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Hardle, George D. | Riley, Ben |
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Hayday, Arthur | Robinson, W. C. (Yorks, W.R., Eiland) |
| Ammon, Charles George | Hayes, John Henry | Rose, Frank H. |
| Baker, J. (Wolverhampton, Bilston) | Henderson, Right Hon. A. (Burnley) | Runciman, Hilda (Cornwall, St. Ives) |
| Baker, Walter | Hirst, G. H. | Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter |
| Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) | Hore-Belisha, Leslie | Salter, Dr. Alfred |
| Barnes, A. | Hudson. J. H. (Huddersfield) | Sexton, James |
| Barr, J. | Hutchison, Sir Robert (Montrose) | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) |
| Batey, Joseph | John, William (Rhondda, West) | Shepherd, Arthur Lewis |
| Beckett, John (Gateshead) | Johnston, Thomas (Dundee) | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Bondfleld, Margaret | Jones, J. J. (West Ham, Slivertown) | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Briant, Frank | Jones, Morgan (Caerphiliy) | Smillle, Robert |
| Broad, F. A. | Kelly, W. T. | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) |
| Bromley, J. | Kennedy, T. | Smith, H. B. Lees (Kelghiey) |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com. Hon. Joseph M. | Smith, Rennie (Penistone) |
| Buchanan, G. | Kirkwood, D | Snell, Harry |
| Cape, Thomas | Lansbury, George | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip |
| Charieton, H. C. | Lawrence, Susan | Spoor, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Charles |
| Compton, Joseph | Lawson, John James | Stamford, T. W. |
| Connoliy, M. | Lee, F. | Stephen, Campbell |
| Cove, W. G. | Lindley, F. W. | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Crawfurd, H. E. | Livingstone, A. M. | Strauss, E. A. |
| Dalton, Hugh | Lowth, T. | Sutton, J. E. |
| Davies, Ellis (Denbigh, Denbigh) | Lunn, William | Taylor, R. A. |
| Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) | Mackinder, W. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | MacLaren, Andrew | Thomas, Sir Robert John (Anglesey) |
| Dennison, R. | MacNeill-Weir, L. | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton, E.) |
| Evans, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Univer.) | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. | Variey, Frank B. |
| Fenby, T. D. | Malone, C. L'Estrange (N'thampton) | Viant, S. P. |
| Gardner, J. P. | March, S. | Wallhead, Richard C. |
| Garro-Jones, Captain G. M. | Maxton, James | Walsh, Rt. Hon. Stephen |
| Gibbins, Joseph | Montague, Frederick | Webb, Rt. Hon. Sidney |
| Gosling, Harry | Morris, R. H. | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Joslah |
| Graham, Fergus (Cumberland, N.) | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) | Murnin, H. | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Owen, Major G. | Windsor, Walter |
| Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Palin, John Henry | Wright, W. |
| Griffith, F. Kingsley | Paling, W. | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | |
| Groves, T. | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Grundy, T. W. | Ponsonby, Arthur | Mr. Charles Edwards and Mr. Whiteley. |
| Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Potts, John S. | |
| Hamilton, Sir R.(Orkney & Shetland) | Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) |