HC Deb 26 March 1912 vol 36 cc218-20
Mr. BONAR LAW

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman the Home Secretary whether he has any statement to make to the House in regard to business, and also whether he is going now to make a statement to the House as to the condition of the coal crisis and the reason for taking the Bill to-day, if he did not think it right to take it yesterday, or does he prefer to leave it to the statement to be made by the Prime Minister at the beginning of the discussion on the Coal Mines Bill?

Mr. McKENNA

We shall move the Motion giving the Government Business, precedence and suspending the Eleven o'clock Rule. After the Consolidated Fund Bill has gone through the Committee we shall take the Coal Mines Bill. I am afraid that the Scottish Temperance Bill must stand over until Monday. Tomorrow we shall take the Third Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill, followed by the Shops. Consolidation Bill, which has come down from the Lords, the Public Offices Sites Bill, and, if time permits, some of the smaller uncontroversial measures on the Paper. With regard to the second question put by the right hon. Gentleman, the Prime Minister is still now engaged in the conference, and he will not be able to be here at the opening of the discussion on the Bill. The Bill was not taken yesterday, as it was hoped that as a result of a conference some arrangement might be made which would possibly affect Amendments to the Bill. As that arrangement has not been come to, we are proceeding with the Bill to-day in the ordinary way.

Mr. BONAR LAW

May I be permitted to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he does not realise that it would be in the highest degree undesirable to proceed with this Bill when Amendments of the most vital character are on in the absence of the Prime Minister, who alone can deal adequately in a case of this kind with Amendments of that character?

Mr. McKENNA

Yes. I understand that the Prime Minister, when his presence is required, will attend the House, but I do not think he will be here at the opening of the discussion. As soon as the particular Amendments to which the right hon. Gentleman refers come on, then he will endeavour to leave the conference and attend here.

Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD

Is it the intention of the Government to take the Third Reading of the Bill to-night if it gets through the Report stage, and if the Report stage is got through by a quarter-past eight or before eleven o'clock, is it the intention of the Government to take other Government Business, or is it intended not to allow the Motion that is down on the Paper to be moved? I would like to know whether the Government propose to move the Motion for the purpose of the Coal Mines Bill and for the purpose of that Bill only, or whether they intend after having moved the Motion to take other business besides the coal mines?

Mr. McKENNA

The Motion is only put on the Paper for the purpose of the Coal Mines Bill. Should by any chance the Coal Mines Bill be concluded before 8.15 then the Motion of the hon. Member would come up, but it is intended if possible to take all the remaining stages of the Coal Mines Bill at this sitting.

Mr. MALCOLM

I wish to ask the Home Secretary whether he proposes to take all the measures which he mentioned tomorrow before 8.15, or whether he means to take Government time for the whole of to-morrow?

Mr. McKENNA

It is not proposed to take Government time the whole of tomorrow. The Consolidated Fund Bill, it is assumed, will not take long, and all the Bills which I have named will take a very short time.

Mr. HOGGE

How much time will the Government give on Monday to the Scottish Temperance Bill?

Mr. McKENNA

It is the first Order of the Day, and as much time will be given to it as is found necessary.

Mr. CHIOZZA MONEY

Do the Government intend to make any statement to this House as to what measures they intend to adopt in addition to the Minimum Wage Bill before asking us to proceed with the further stages of that Bill, or whether they intend to rely on the Bill in its present form to bring the strike to a conclusion?

Mr. McKENNA

I think that my hon. Friend will see that that is a question which the Prime Minister alone can answer.