§ Mr. J. G. BUTCHERasked the Prime Minister whether it was still his intention that the Resolutions dealing with the veto of the House of Lords should be embodied in a Bill and carried through the House of Commons in the course of the present-Session?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROur intention, as has been already stated, is to get our proposals on to the Statute Book in the shape of an Act of Parliament at the earliest possible moment. As was said last Monday: "Unless we find ourselves in a position to ensure that our proposals not merely will pass the House of Commons, but can be passed into law, we shall not continue in office."
§ Viscount HELMSLEYAre we to understand that if the Resolutions sent up from this House fail to pass in another place, the circumstances contemplated by the Prime Minister will have arisen?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe had better wait and see.
§ Mr. J. G. BUTCHERAre we to understand that the pledge given on 21st February to bring in a Bill embodying the Veto Resolutions, and to pass it through the House of Commons in the course of the present Session, still holds good?
§ The PRIME MINISTERCertainly it is intended to embody the proposals in a Bill. But until we know what decision has been come to upon our Resolutions, both in one House and in the other, it would be premature and altogether impossible to determine finally what the course of procedure in regard to them shall be.
§ Mr. J. G. BUTCHERIs the House to understand that the unqualified pledge given by the Prime Minister on 21st February to bring in a Bill and to pass it through all its stages in this House during the present Session no longer holds good?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI must refer the hon. Gentleman to what I said on Monday.
§ Mr. J. G. BUTCHERDid not the right hon. Gentleman assure the House on Monday that the only change in procedure from that originally announced by him was that the Resolutions would be submitted to the House of Lords?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is the only change in procedure. At the same time, both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I said that in a certain event we did not intend to ask this House to repeat the process described in days gone by as "ploughing the sands."
§ Mr. J. G. BUTCHERIs bringing in a Bill embodying these Resolutions and passing it through all its stages in this House not a matter of procedure?