§ LORD PONSONBY OF SHULBREDEMy Lords, perhaps the noble and learned Viscount the Leader of the House will tell us the business for next week?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)My Lords, before we get to next week we have to finish this week. To-morrow morning there is to be a formal sitting of your Lordships' House in order that we may receive from another place the Bill with regard to trade with Russia which, I understand, is expected to reach its concluding stages there to-night. That meeting will be a purely formal one to give a First Reading to the Bill, and arrangements will be made to constitute a House.
On Tuesday next I propose to suggest that once again your Lordships' House shall meet at three o'clock. We have rather a heavy programme to get through, but I think it will probably be more for the general convenience that we should meet earlier on Tuesday than have a special sitting of the House on Monday. Monday is not a convenient day to many of your Lordships unless full notice is given. If we meet at three o'clock on Tuesday, first of all there will be a Motion in my name in similar terms to the Motion in another place with regard to the memorial tablet to the late Earl of Oxford. That will not take very long, and naturally will not be controversial. Then I propose to ask your Lordships to take the Russian Bill through all its stages on Tuesday. I shall propose that that be the next business on the Order Paper. The next will be a Motion for setting up the Joint Committee to which your Lordships have just agreed. The 460 names will be moved in another place, I believe, on Monday, and I propose that we should move our names on Tuesday so that the Committee may come into being before the Easter vacation. Finally, if my noble friend Lord Danesfort is still going to move it, there is the Performing Animals (Regulation) Amendment Bill which stands in his name for Second Reading on that day. I am afraid I shall have to ask the House to give precedence to the Government business. I am not quite sure whether in those circumstances Lord Danesfort's Bill will be taken on Tuesday, or whether it may possibly go over the Easter vacation.
On Wednesday there is the Committee stage of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill. There is also a Motion by my noble friend Lord Dudley about railways, and there is the Committee stage of the Protection of Birds Bill. I ought to Lave said that the Committee stage of the Army and Air Force (Annual) Bill will be taken on Tuesday and the Third Reading will be taken on Wednesday. Those, I think, are practically formal stages in this House. Then on Thursday we meet at half-past eleven. It is possible, but I want to consult in other quarters first, that I may ask your Lordships to take on that day the final stages of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill. I think it depends a little on what happens in Committee on the Wednesday. Subject to that there will be no business except formal business on Thursday, and the Royal Commission.
It may be convenient if I go on to make a statement with regard to the adjournment. We adjourn on Thursday. In another place they are reassembling on Tuesday, April 25, and, I understand, they are taking the Budget on that day. I think it will probably be for the general convenience if we adjourn till Tuesday, April 25, so that in the event of any special business arising the House will be in session, but unless something unexpected occurs I would propose on Tuesday, April 25, to have merely a formal sitting and adjourn for a week until Tuesday, May 2.
§ LORD PONSONBY OF SHULBREDEI am much obliged to the noble Viscount for his statement.
§ LORD RANKEILLOURMy Lords, with regard to what has been stated 461 about the Joint Committee, I understand there are two or three distinct formal Motions as to place and time and so on. I would like to ask when they will appear on the Paper?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMI am much obliged to the noble Lord. I did not know there were Motions beyond the Motion in regard to the names. If there 462 are any other Motions which are purely formal I will take them as soon as I possibly can afterwards. I will look into that matter, and the Motions, if there are any, will be put down at the earliest possible moment, on Tuesday or Wednesday as the case may be.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before eight o'clock.