HC Deb 11 November 1920 vol 134 cc1372-4
Mr. ADAMSON

May I ask the Lord Privy Seal if he can inform the House what business is to be taken next week.

Mr. BONAR LAW

It will be necessary to take the Committee on the Financial Resolution of the Ministry of Health Bill as the first Order on Monday. After that, from day to day, we shall proceed with the Agriculture Bill.

Mr. DEVLIN

On only one day a week is priority given to Irish questions. As the Prime Minister reaches his questions at Question No. 25, cannot it be arranged for Irish questions to follow the questions of the Prime Minister? There are 17 Irish questions unanswered to-day, and one of them, standing in my own name, is the most important question on the Paper.

Mr. BONAR LAW

It is endeavoured once a week to give Irish questions precedence. I will inquire into the suggestion of the hon. Member, but I am quite sure my hon. Friend need not be dismayed, as he will get some other opportunity of putting his important question.

Mr. DEVLIN

Will the hon. Gentleman accept a suggestion made by an hon. Member behind me that he should give us a whole day, on Friday, for Irish questions?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I do not think there is any objection to that, but I am afraid there would hardly be a quorum for that purpose.

Lieut.-Colonel A. MURRAY

Did not the right hon. Gentleman give this House a deliberate pledge that the Agriculture Bill would be the first Order of the Day on Monday? Can he say how long the Committee on the Ministry of Health Resolution will take, and whether Scottish Members representing agriculture need come up on Monday or not?

Mr. BONAR LAW

My hon. and gallant Friend is mistaken. I did not give a pledge that the Agriculture Bill would be taken as the first Order.

Lieut.-Colonel MURRAY

It amounted to that.

Mr. BONAR LAW

I had expected that the Committee on the Ministry of Health Bill Financial Resolutions would have been taken before Monday, and had I known it would not, we should probably have had a Friday sitting. Having once intimated that we would not sit on Friday, I do not think it fair to call a sitting to-morrow. I hope the stage will not take long. It ought not to do so.

Colonel GREIG

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the hon. and gallant Member who put the question to him himself objected to the Agriculture Bill being taken on Monday, as being inconvenient for the Scottish Members?

Lieut.-Colonel MURRAY

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I said nothing of the sort?

Mr. SPEAKER

That must be settled outside.

Mr. R. McNEILL

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is proposed to continue the Ministry of Health Bill, in view of the fact that the Second Reading was carried by Ministers and the Labour party against the majority of their followers?

Mr. BONAR LAW

That is a fact of which I was not aware.

Mr. MacVEAGH

You were saved by the Labour party.

Mr. BONAR LAW

At any rate, the Second Reading was carried, and it certainly is the intention of the Government that the Bill should go to Committee.

Sir D. MACLEAN

I suppose the stage of the Ministry of Health Bill to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred is the Committee stage of the Financial Resolution?

Mr. BONAR LAW

That is so, nothing but the Financial Resolution.

Mr. MacVEAGH

Does the right hon. Gentleman propose before the end of this Session to bring in a Bill to reduce the salaries of Ministers?

Mr. BONAR LAW

Certainly there is no prospect of such a Bill this Session.

Lieut.-Colonel J. WARD

If such a thing is contemplated, will the right hon. Gentleman not consider the advisability of increasing the wages of Members first?