§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELCan the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury state whether it is intended to sit on Friday, and, if so, what business will be taken.
§ Lord EDMUND TALBOT (Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury)There will be a sitting on Friday, and we propose to continue the Debate on the Amendment to the Second Reading of the Military Service (Conventions with Allied States) Bill, and to take the Gaming Machines (Scotland) Bill, and other small Bills, if there is time.
§ Mr. RONALD McNEILL(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for the Horne Department whether he has considered that, unless an opportunity is given to the House to discuss the Instructions to the Boundary Commissioners before they frame a scheme to complete the Fourth Schedule to the Representation of the People Bill, it will be impossible to amend the figures or injunctions contained in the Instructions without rendering useless the whole labour of the Commissioners; and whether, in order to enable the House to express its opinion in time to be effective, he will introduce Resolutions embodying the Instructions, and give a day or days for their discussion before the Commissioners begin their labours.
§ Sir G. CAVEThere will be an opportunity of discussing the matter on one of the Instructions on the Paper.
§ Sir FRANCIS LOWEIs it usual for a Bill to be taken as far as the Committee stage when one of the most important Schedules is left blank, and ought not the House to be informed as to the general principle on which that blank Schedule is to be filled up? It seems to me that you cannot possibly proceed with the Committee stage until the House knows what is done with regard to the settlement of the boundaries and the arrangements made—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe end of the hon. Gentleman's question is in the nature of a speech.
§ Sir G. CAVEI understand that the same course has been adopted as on previous occasions.
§ Mr. EUGENE WASONWill the question raised by the Instructions of the hon. Member for Ayr Burghs be discussed?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am not sure, but I understand it may be discussed on one of the Instructions.
§ Sir F. LOWEMay I ask whether it is possible, before this Bill is proceeded with in Committee, to consider whether it might not be advisable to refer it for consideration to Grand Committee instead of Committee of the whole House. I had not the pleasure of being here on the Second Reading, but, if it is not too late, I should like to be able to move to refer the Bill to Grand Committee, instead of Committee of the Whole House. With such a complicated measure, with a Bill of so many details to consider, I think a smaller body would be able to deal with it much more effectively, and certainly the House would not part with the control of the measure, because they would have it on the Report stage.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI understood that one of the chief objections of the hon. Member to the Bill was that it had been considered by a smaller body.