BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE (Hansard, 29 May 1945)

§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (LORD WOOLTON)
My Lords, in moving the Motion which stands in my name I must direct your Lordships' attention to the fact that instead of having the Coalition Government, which has for the last five years been the expression of national unity, and which has brought this country and the Empire, under the inspired leadership of my right honourable friend the Prime Minister, through the greatest dangers which they have ever faced, your Lordships meet to-day a new Government. It is still under the leadership of my right honourable friend Mr. Churchill, and I hope that it will command the confidence of your Lordships' House.
Further, we are faced with the prospect of a Dissolution of the present Parliament on the 15th of next month. That means that, even if we sit five days a week next week and the week after, we have at the most only fourteen days (assuming that we shall have business for the coming Friday, which I believe is highly unlikely, as the Bills will not have come from another place by that time), in which to complete a very formidable legislative programme. I have consulted the leaders of the Parties opposite, the noble Lords, Lord Addison and Lord Samuel, and, as I have learned to expect from them, they have promised me their most cordial co-operation in getting the necessary legislation through the House as expeditiously as possible. I am afraid, however, that we shall require for this purpose all the time that is available, and I hope that I may ask those of your Lordships 234 who still have Motions on the Paper after the present week to be good enough to postpone them until the new Parliament shall have met, unless it transpires that we get through the necessary business of the House earlier than one might perhaps expect.
I regret greatly to trespass on your Lordships' time. Some of the Bills, however, are absolutely necessary in order that the Government may go on. There are certain Bills on which some of us have spent a large amount of time during the last twelve months in trying to get them into legislative shape, and if it is possible to pass them as a monument to a Coalition Government which has been a very good Government, it will be a matter of gratification both to those of us who are now in the Government and to those of my noble friends who now sit on the Opposition Benches. I beg to move.

§ LORD ADDISON
My Lords, it has become a custom at the end of Parliaments for members to be confronted with Motions of this character, and we accept them with such resignation as we can command. The noble Lord has been good enough to show me a list of the Bills which it is hoped it will be possible to pass through all their stages, and he will meet with no obstructive attitude on this side of the House. At the same time, there are one or two Motions which my noble friends will be anxious to have an opportunity to discuss, and which I mentioned to the noble Lord this morning. One Motion in particular which we think should be discussed is that which deals with the position with regard to the supply of fish. We shall want to have an occasion for discussing that if possible; otherwise the noble Lord can be assured that we are exceedingly reasonable people.

§ VISCOUNT SAMUEL
My Lords, I have nothing to add, except to express concurrence with the course proposed by the Government. Perhaps I might be allowed to say a word on the Family Allowances Bill. 235 It is more a House of Commons Bill than a House of Lords Bill, but I am sure that it will be welcomed by your Lordships' House, and I hope that it will not miscarry in the circumstances of the moment.