HC Deb 17 March 1960 vol 619 cc1481-3
Mr. Gaitskell

May I ask the Leader of the House to state the business for next week?

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. R. A. Butler)

Yes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:

MONDAY, 21ST MARCH—Consideration of Lords Amendments to the Horticulture Bill.

Afterwards, a debate will take place on the Report of the Central Advisory Council for Education (England), which will arise on a Government Motion.

We propose to suspend the Ten o'clock rule for one hour for the debate on the Crowther Report on Monday.

It is hoped that the Lords Amendments to the Horticulture Bill, which we propose to take as first Order on that day, will not occupy any undue time. There is some urgency for this Measure.

TUESDAY, 22ND MARCH—Committee stage of the Iron and Steel (Financial Provisions) Bill.

Report and Third Reading of the War Damage (Clearance Payments) Bill.

WEDNESDAY, 23RD MARCH—Second Reading of the Matrimonial Proceedings (Magistrates' Courts) Bill [Lords], and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.

Second Reading of the Indecency with Children Bill [Lords].

The House may be aware that the Chairman of Ways and Means has set down the British Transport Commission Bill for consideration at Seven o'clock on that evening.

THURSDAY, 24TH MARCH—Second Reading of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Bill, and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.

FRIDAY, 25TH MARCH—Consideration of private Members' Motions.

MONDAY, 28TH MARCH—The proposed business will be the concluding stages of the Iron and Steel (Financial Provisions) Bill.

Committee and remaining stages of the Gas Bill.

Report and Third Reading of the Legal Aid Bill.

Mr. Gaitskell

Can the Leader of the House now give us a date for a debate on accommodation for hon. Members, and also say when he will find time for a debate on railway finances?

Mr. Butler

The debate on accommodation should be in the week after next, so as to implement the undertaking which I gave earlier that it would be about that period. I cannot at present make any further statement about a debate on railway finance.

Mr. Gaitskell

Will the Government nevertheless agree to find time for a debate on railway finances in the near future?

Mr. Butler

I cannot at present give any assurance about a particular day.

Mr. Malcolm MacPherson

Has the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been drawn to the Motion in the names of several of my hon. Friends and 'myself about an extension of public enterprise to relieve high unemployment?

As recent attempts of the President of the Board of Trade to disperse the new developments in the motor industry into at least one of these areas, Scotland, where unemployment has been about the 100,000 mark for many months, have had disappointingly small results, and as the policy of the Local Employment Bill is not likely to bring more than comparatively small results in these areas, will the right hon. Gentleman consider finding time for a debate on this Motion?

[That this House, while welcoming the efforts being made to induce development of private industry in areas of high unemployment, believes that where those efforts prove insufficient it is the duty of Her Majesty's Government to bring full employment to those areas by setting up and operating publicly owned enterprises.]

Mr. Butler

I have the Motion before me. I think that it is a little early to be sure that the Local Employment Bill will not be successful. I cannot name a definite day for a debate on the Motion, the importance of which is fully realised.