§ Sir E. CARSONMay I ask the Leader of the House what Orders he proposes to take to-day? Does he mean to take the Naval Prize Bill and the Trading With the Enemy (Amendment) Bill?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWNo. We hope to get all the Orders on the Paper down to No. 10 (Asylums Officers' Superannuation Bill), except the Trading With the Enemy (Amendment) Bill and the Small Holding Colonies (Amendment) Bill.
§ Mr. PRINGLEIs it proposed to take the Statutory Undertakings (Temporary Increase of Charges) Bill?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware, with reference to the Naval Prize Bill, that a White Paper dealing with the Bill will be issued tomorrow, and would it not be desirable to discuss the Bill with the White Paper before us?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI was not aware of that. This is a Bill which it is desirable, if we can, to get through the House before the Recess, and if that is to happen it must go to another place in order to give them time to discuss it. I hope, therefore, it will not be necessary to postpone it till to-morrow.
§ Sir E. CARSONMay I ask whether it is intended to get the Trading With the Enemy (Amendment) Bill through before the Recess, as it is a very pressing matter?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI hope so.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Government Business be not interrupted this night under the Standing Order (Sittings of the House), and may be entered upon at any hour, although opposed."—[Mr. Bonar Law.]
§ Sir F. BANBURYI wish to ask the Leader of the House whether he thinks it advisable to press this Motion? The other day a Motion was moved for the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule on the Education. Bill, which everyone must admit is an extremely important Bill. An 1478 Amendment was moved on the Report stage of that Bill at about twenty minutes past Eleven, and what was the result? There were twenty-eight against the Amendment and eight in favour that is thirty-six, with the four Tellers, or forty in all, and with you, Sir, in the Chair, forty-one altogether. There were forty-one Members present a little after Eleven o'clock, on one of the most important Bills before the House, when there are 670 Members of the House, which shows that after the Eleven o'Clock Rule is suspended hon. Members will not attend. I venture to say that it is a farce to attempt to pass Bills in this House when there are only about forty Members present, and if on a Bill like the Education Bill it is only possible for the Government to muster thirty in their favour out of 670, is it dignified or fitting that we should go on suspending the Eleven o'Clock Rule? I venture to say, after some years' experience of this House, that there has been no sign of obstruction during the whole of this Session, and that therefore it is most unnecessary to suspend the Eleven o'Clock Rule.
§ Mr. PRINGLEI wish to support the appeal which has been made by the right hon. Gentleman opposite, and particularly with regard to the Statutory Undertakings (Temporary Increase of Charges) Bill. There are a number of very important questions arising under that Bill, affecting very large numbers of people in all parts of the country, and, in view of that fact, I think it is extremely unfortunate that decisions should be taken by a Committee of this House which will affect pecuniary interests at a time when there can be no real discussion of the questions involved, and at a time also when the people who are affected cannot be apprised of the considerations which have been put before the Committee in coming to a decision. The right hon. Gentleman opposite has referred to what occurred one evening when the Eleven o'Clock Rule was suspended on the Education Bill, and I think there is some ground for the fear that a similar situation may arise on this measure also. It is true that a number of Members are interested, but, unfortunately, in the conditions prevailing in this House it is difficult for the people outside who have interests affected to bring their influence to bear upon members of this slumbering body. 1479 They are now living with the fear of a General Election before their eyes, and many of them have no intention of going to their constituencies again unless they have a free run, and in these circumstances they are inclined to ignore their duties here. Those considerations should, I think, prevent the Government from taking a measure of this kind at such a late hour. During the remaining days of this week the House will not be very fully occupied, and while it may be possible to take some of the other Orders at a late hour, it would be very unfortunate if any substantial questions outstanding on this particular Bill should require them to be taken at a late hour.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI hope the House will allow this Motion to go forward, and I can assure them that it is made quite as much for the convenience of the House of Commons as for that of the Government. We are getting very near the end of the Session, and in spite of what my hon. and learned Friend has said, we will find it extremely difficult to get the business which is absolutely necessary through in order to adjourn at the time I mentioned. What the right hon. Gentleman opposite said is perfectly true. There has been no obstruction, and it is for that reason that up till now we have not moved a general Motion, as has always hitherto happened, suspending the Eleven o'Clock Rule every day, because we have found that the House has been ready to meet us as long as we made nothing but fair demands upon it. There is no intention whatever of staying late. The object of suspending the Rule is that an extra half-hour or three-quarters of an hour may enable us to get through the business, and it will help the general convenience of the House. It is not the Government's fault that members are not sufficiently interested to attend, and that question does not apply only after eleven o'clock, and I think it is another reason to make the House desire that we should have a reasonably early Adjournment, because I think all Members of the House have had a very severe strain, and a rest will be good for all.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIt really depends on what is called controversial, but I think I can say that, in the ordinary sense of 1480 the word, I accept that. I cannot say it may not seem controversial to particular individuals.
§ Sir F. BANBURYI understand it is only intended to take the business on the Paper?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes.
§ Mr. WATTMay I suggest that the right hon. Gentleman should take out the Statutory Undertakings (Temporary Increase of Charges) Bill, and add one or two of those at the end of the Paper? The first Bill on the Paper may take a very long time, and the one I have mentioned will certainly take the rest of the day.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI think there is a misunderstanding about that. This Bill will be taken second to-day, and, in spite of what my hon. Friend says, I hope that the first Bill will not occupy nearly-all the time. I hope the second Bill will come on at an early hour, but in any case we will not dream of starting it at eleven o'clock.
§ Question put, and agreed to.