BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 25 June 1940)

§ LORD SNELL

My Lords, it would probably be for the convenience of your Lordships if I stated that it has been found necessary to rearrange some of the business already announced for this week, and also to make provision for some additional business. Probably it will be best if I deal with the additional business first. A Bill of some urgency conferring additional powers upon the Governor-General of India and the Governor-General of 692 Burma is being passed through all its stages in another place to-morrow, and I shall ask your Lordships to deal with it similarly on Thursday. Arrangements have been made that the Bill should be circulated to your Lordships in its Commons' form in order that you may be acquainted with its provisions before being asked to consider them. Now as to the rearrangement of business. It had been intended to take the Second Reading of the Colonial Development Bill, a measure of considerable importance, on Thursday next, but, as your Lordships are aware, a Secret Sitting will follow the statement of the Minister of Supply in another place that afternoon, and I have little doubt that your Lordships would prefer to postpone the debate on the Colonial Development Bill in order that you may have an opportunity of listening to the debate in another place. An additional reason for the postponement is that in order not to interfere with the Secret Sitting, we shall endeavour to arrange to have our business in this House completed in time to hold the Royal Commission at 4.45 p.m. The Second Reading of the Colonial Development Bill has now been arranged for Tuesday next, July 2.