§ MR. BURT (Morpeth)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, considering the great importance of the Mines Regulation Bill, which will affect the lives and well-being of more than half a million of workers, he can arrange to take the second reading at a time when there will be an opportunity to discuss the main provisions of the Bill?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.),in reply, said, he was under the impression that there was a general disposition on the part of those interested to accept the principle of this Bill. He proposed, therefore, to take the second reading as a formal proceeding, reserving for the Committee stage the many points that were likely to arise on the discussion of the various clauses of the Bill. He could not but think that that would be the more convenient course, and would conduce to the general progress of the Bill, which it was very desirable should be read a second time before Easter. He should propose a considerable interval between the second reading and the Committee stage, in order to give hon. Members time to prepare any Amendments they might think desir- 622 able. He trusted the hon. Member would assent to that course.
§ MR. J. E. ELLIS (Nottingham, Rushcliffe)asked, Whether it would be in Order to make second reading speeches at the Committe stage?
MR. DEPUTY SPEAKERstated that on the Motion to go into Committee observations of a general character might be made.