EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, perhaps I may briefly inform your Lordships about business next week. It had been agreed through the usual channels that the House should not meet on either Tuesday or Wednesday, the 19th and 20th October. The debate on community hostels which was to have been taken on Wednesday has, unfortunately, had to be postponed because its sponsor, the noble Lord, Lord Grenfell, has had to go into hospital for an emergency eye operation. I am sure that your Lordships will join me in wishing him a speedy recovery. The House will however meet on Monday, the 18th for the Third Reading of the Immigration Bill and again on Thursday the 21st of October.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, echo the regrets about the reason for the postponement of the debate on Wednesday and our sympathies for the noble Lord, Lord Grenfell. I think that the Government have done the best they can, but it is a pretty untidy situation that we should meet on a Monday and then have a blank couple of days. It is very inconvenient for those Peers who come from 313 far afield. Were it not for the fact that I know that the Government Chief Whip was yesterday moving round in rapid circles trying to find a solution to this problem I might use rather stronger language about the incompetence of the organisation of Government business—language of the kind that was so frequently used to us. None the less he has sought to meet us. I am bound to say that it will will be very inconvenient for a number of my colleagues.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, what influenced me most in retaining the Sitting on Thursday was that I understood that there were some important Party meetings which were being held; the decision was for the general convenience of noble Lords who wished to attend these meetings. If noble Lords could rearrange their meetings so that they were held on Monday, in which case we need sit only one day in the week, I should be only too happy to fall in with such an arrangement.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, the decision having been taken, the best thing now—as I think I indicated—is that in all the circumstances we had better leave it there.
§ BARONESS BACONMy Lords, would it not have been possible to sit on Monday and Tuesday instead of on Monday and Thursday? Do those who arrange business realise that many Members of your Lordships' House travel considerable distances, hundred of miles, in order to be here? It is very inconvenient from every point of view to have a sitting on Monday and Thursday and no sitting on Tuesday and Wednesday.
EARL. ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I have great sympathy with the noble Baroness. I had hoped that it might be possible to do this; but after consultation it seems to me that what has been arranged, although I appreciate the inconvenience, is in fact the most satisfactory solution.