§ Mr. DENMANasked whether, having regard to the fact that a large number of Members of this House and leading civil servants spend little time in hunting or shooting but on the other hand appreciate a summer holiday, His Majesty's Government will either themselves consider the question of making the normal Session begin in the autumn and end in May or June, or appoint a Select Committee to consider it?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAll the arguments, on the one side and the other, are so well-known to the House that I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by the appointment of a Committee such as my honourable Friend suggests. His proposal appears to me to possess many attractions, but until there are greater hopes of the House unanimously approving it than exist at present the Government is not in a position to take any action. It is a matter which can only be determined by general consent.
§ Lord HUGH CECILWould it not be possible to take the King's Speech before Christmas and then begin the Session late in January without the King's Speech delaying business?
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINCould the right hon. Gentleman afford the House an opportunity of expressing its opinion?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPECould the right hon. hon. Gentleman guarantee that the Session would in fact end in May or June even if it began in the autumn?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. Member has put his finger on the real difficulty. My anticipation is that when we get to the end of June we should be told there was this question and that and another week and another week.
§ Mr. DENMANIs not Whitsuntide as well-known a festival in the calendar as August 12th?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is well known it is much more movable.