§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYBefore the House adjourns I should like to ask the noble Earl whether he has any announcement to make as to the sittings of the House next week?
THE EARL OF CRAWFORDMy Lords, on Monday next it is proposed to take the Report stages of the Shops (Early Closing) (No. 2) Bill and of the Defence of the Realm (Acquisition of Land) Bill, and the Committee stages of the Women and Young Persons (Employment in Lead Processes) Bill and of the Places of Worship (Enfranchisement) Bill, which were read a second time this afternoon. On Tuesday the Second Reading of the Government of Ireland Bill will be begun, and continued on Wednesday, and concluded, I hope, on Thursday. On Wednesday and Thursday it will be necessary to give precedence to that Bill over other Motions or Bills upon the Paper. Whether your Lordships will desire to sit after dinner on those days we cannot settle now, but I hope that on Monday it may be settled by your Lordships whether the final Division on the Bill shall be taken on Thursday before dinner or after dinner. It will probably be for the general convenience of all concerned that the hour should be fixed approximately, but the number of Peers who desire to speak is large, and it looks as though it will be impossible to conclude the Second Reading on Thursday 384 unless your Lordships sit after the dinner interval on Tuesday night and Wednesday night. That estimate I make from the large number of names already announced of Peers who mean to speak.
On Monday, November 29, Questions, Motions, and further stages of small Bills will be taken. It is expected that the Agriculture Bill will reach this House shortly, and from this point onwards may I observe that the programme is quite tentative—that is, for the week after next. It will probably be convenient to suggest taking the Second Reading of the Agriculture Bill on Tuesday, November 30, and, if necessary, on Wednesday, December 1, as well. On one of those days we also hope to get the Resolutions relating to the Government of India Act standing in the name of Lord Lytton. I believe them to be uncontroversial. Probably on one or more days during the later part of that week the House should enter upon the Committee stage of the Government of Ireland Bill. Beyond that I think it is probably undesirable to speculate at the present moment.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, you will have heard the announcement of the Government with much satisfaction. I quite agree, speaking for myself and others, that the House will probably think it right to sit after dinner both on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week in connection with the Government of Ireland Bill. I understand from the noble Earl that he does not propose to take the Agriculture Bill before Tuesday, November 30. That, I think, would be quite an appropriate arrangement. But I should like to say one word of caution as regards those days. If my noble friend Lord Lytton's Motions are really quite uncontroversial, there would be no reason why they should not he taken, but I expect to find—and I think your Lordships will find—there will be a very large number of noble Lords who desire to speak on the Agriculture Bill, and it would be a great pity, if I may say so, to spoil the flower of the evening on Tuesday or Wednesday if the Motions are likely to take any time at all. I am quite sure that my noble friend Lord Lytton will appreciate that, and I can leave it absolutely in his hands.
As regards the Committee stage of the Government of Ireland Bill it is a little difficult to say, so far as we know about 385 it, how long an interval it would be necessary to have between the Second Reading and the Committee stage of the Bill. A good deal will depend upon the course of the debate on the Second Reading. So far as I am concerned and as far as my knowledge on the subject goes, prima facie a week's interval would seem to be enough, but it might easily turn out when your Lordships hear the debate on the Second Reading that it will be found not to be enough. I only desire to put those words in, so that it should not be thought I agreed to such an arrangement as I am not in a position to agree to.
THE EARL OF CRAWFORDThe Indian Resolutions cannot come first in order on the Tuesday, and they need not 386 on the Wednesday; and if, as I hope, they prove uncontroversial they can probably be taken at the conclusion of the debate on the Agriculture Bill. On Monday I shall take means to ascertain your Lordships' desires as to the actual hour on Thursday at which the Division, if any, shall be taken on the Government of Ireland Bill.
§ [From Minutes of November 17.]