§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, the noble Marquess the Deputy Leader of the House was good enough yesterday to announce the course which he proposed that your Lordships should adopt with regard to the Indemnity Bill. Circumstances seem to have occurred which prevent the carrying out of the programme on the lines proposed by the noble Marquess, and perhaps he will be good enough to inform your Lordships what is the alternative procedure which he suggests.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, the facts are as the noble Earl states. We hoped yesterday, when we were engaged in conversation across the Table, that the Indemnity Bill would be in your Lordships' House late last night, and that it would have been possible to take it to-day. But the Bill has not reached that stage after all, and will not, as I am informed, be through the House of Commons until Friday. In those circumstances your Lordships cannot take it this week. I am, therefore, driven to suggest that we might take it on Monday, if that suited the House. That would be the earliest day on which it would be possible to take it.
276 If there is a strong feeling in the House that we should not sit on Monday night the Government would, of course, desire to consider the wishes of the House, but it is not right that this Bill should be delayed, and unless I have a strong expression to the contrary I shall propose that your Lordships sit on Monday in order to deal with the Indemnity Bill. So far as I know, that would be the only business before your Lordships on that day, and therefore would be the first Order, which is, I think, what the noble Earl wishes to be arranged, if possible.
I would rather not say what the subsequent stages will be, because the Bill has not reached its final form in the House of Commons and until it has reached that final form it would be too soon to suggest how quickly the Bill might be dealt with in your Lordships' House. It may be that your Lordships will wish to consider the Bill rather more carefully, and therefore I will not say any more about taking the Second Reading on Monday. But supposing your Lordships are willing to take the Second Reading on Monday, I would put down a Motion with respect to Standing Order No. XXXIX in order that the first two stages could be taken together. The only inconvenience is that, normally, your Lordships do not have an opportunity of seeing a Bill in print before you reach the House, but I have been making inquiries and I think arrangements could be made so that your Lordships could have copies of the Bill on Saturday morning to enable noble Lords who wish to acquaint themselves with the provisions to do so in good time. I hope these arrangements will be convenient to your Lordships, but I am entirely in the hands of the House if noble Lords prefer some other procedure.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPI can assure the noble Marquess that no difficulty will be placed in his way on this side of the House. The only question that occurs to me is whether it might not be convenient to meet formally on Friday and read the Bill a first time. In that case it could be printed and your Lordships would have an opportunity of reading it. It is not only a question of your Lordships reading and studying the Bill. There are the legal 277 advisers to noble Lords opposite and also the legal advisers to those of us who are fortunate to posses them on this side of the House, and if they could have an opportunity of studying the Bill in its printed form before Monday it would be convenient to everybody. Perhaps the noble Marquess will allow me to mention the matter again to-morrow, and we may then settle it.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI shad, of course, thought of sitting on Friday. If it could be arranged that the Bill could be in the hands of noble Lords before Monday, it would be of immense convenience to the officials of the House should it be possible to avoid a Friday sitting. I am assured that the Bill can be in the hands of noble Lords on Saturday morning. The Rent Restrictions (Notices of Increase) Bill is down for Committee stage to-morrow, and I hope also to take the Commons Amendments to the Industrial Assurance Bill if noble Lords are willing.