HC Deb 11 November 1920 vol 134 cc1374-5

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House at its rising this day do adjourn till Monday next."—[Mr. Bonar Law.]

4.0 P.M.

Mr. HOGGE

This is a proposal to adjourn the House until Monday at a period of the Session when Government business is pressing. Before we agree to such an adjournment, before we decide on not taking a sitting to-morrow, I should like to ask either the Prime Minister or the Leader of the House what are the intentions of the Government with regard to the Anti-Dumping Bill and the Licensing Bill? We have been told that these are to be introduced this Session, but we have not been told that they are to be taken through all their stages. If they are to go through all their stages, we shall require all the time unless we are to sit right up till Christmas. Therefore, before the House is asked to agree not to sit on Friday, I think we ought to know whether the Bills on the Paper now are the extent of the Government programme and whether they do not propose to do anything else but simply introduce and take the Second Reading of the Licensing Bill and the Dumping Bill. Unless we get satisfactory assurance, I do not think that we ought to agree not to sit to-morrow.

Mr. BONAR LAW

That is a very alarming threat, but I do not think that my hon. Friend will have power to carry it out by himself.

Mr. HOGGE

We could have a Division.

Mr. BONAR LAW

With regard to the Adjournment over to-morrow, I think the House must leave a little latitude to those, who are responsible for the conduct of its business. We do not wish to lose any time, but we deliberately came to the conclusion, in view of the present position of business, not to ask the House to meet on Friday, unless we could put before it something immediately necessary to carry. It was done to meet what I believe to be the convenience of the House.

With regard to the general programme for this Session, I have already said that I think it will be a great advantage to the House that we should be able at the earliest possible moment to say exactly what we propose to take during this Session, and I hope to be able to do that some day next week.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved, "That this House at its rising this day do adjourn till Monday next."