§ 48. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Prime Minister if his attention has been called to the fact that, owing to the failure of the Government to provide adequate means for dealing with unemployment and the consequent hardship and privation arising therefrom, many Members are opposed to the proposed arrangements whereby the House will be prorogued for some weeks from Friday next: whether, under these circumstances, he will agree to the House continuing in Session until such time as some means has been found for relieving the distress; and will he consider giving the House an opportunity of discussing the advisability of making a financial grant of £10,000,000 in aid of districts most heavily stricken by unemployment?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe answer is in the negative.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the Prime Minister aware that there is very great indignation indeed against what is considered to be the callous indifference both of this House and of Ministers in dealing with the question of the unemployed?
§ Mr. CLYNESMay I ask the Prime Minister whether he has in mind the assurances given by him to the country prior to the Election, that, the burden of unemployment would be cast upon trade and industry, and whether, in view of the impossibility of maintaining anything like a standard of decency or efficiency upon the present unemployment allowance, he will see his way to extend the Session so as to provide some increased benefit for the unemployed?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs my right hon. Friend has put it, I do not recognise any of my speeches in his statement. But I would put it to him that we do mean to do our utmost for unemployment, and that the sitting of Parliament is not in itself an assistance in getting the work done.
§ Mr. CLYNESCan the right hon. Gentleman say in what way, other than by the sitting of Parliament, it is possible to increase the benefit to which he made reference in his Election speeches?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI cannot admit that my right hon. Friend has made it clear that I have ever made any 2929 such statement as he attributes to me. Perhaps I may explain. I did make a general reference to my belief that in the end the best system of dealing with unemployment would be a general system of unemployment insurance, borne largely by the industries.
§ Mr. MAXTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman not realise that the working classes in the Central Division of Glasgow believed that his return to this House would mean an immediate tackling of the unemployment question?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROh, yes, and they were right.
§ Mr. MAXTONrose—
§ Mr. MAXTONOn a point of Order. The Prime Minister has said in answer to A question by mc—[Interruption]—that the unemployed in the Central Division of Glasgow were right in believing that he was going to do something immediately for their benefit. I want to know what it is. [HON. MEMBERS: "Answer, answer!"]
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURI want to insist, Mr. Speaker. I stand for business. [HON. MEMBERS: "Sit down!"] I am not going to sit down. I want to ask a very plain question, and I want to do so in all deference to you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member should know that he must not be on his feet at the same time as the Speaker.
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURI know that, but the issue is so serious.
§ Mr. J. JONESWhy do not hon. Members opposite respect us?
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURI do not want to debate the matter. All I want is—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. J. JONESYou (pointing to the Government side) start howling, and we will howl back.
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURrose again—
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURSo I do. All I want to ask is whether this blackguardism—[Interruption].
§ Mr. LANSBURYYou are a nice lot howling down men who come here to help the unemployed.
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURI want constitutionalism and respectful attention to the serious issue of the unemployed. If the Government refuse to move, it is something that the people will not stand. There must be a facing of this business.
§ Lieut-Colonel LANE-FOXrose—
§ Mr. LANSBURYWe want to know from the Prime Minister what he has done for the unemployed? [HON. MEMBERS: "Order!"] You have done nothing, and you said you did something. [HON. MEMHKRS: "Sit down!"] I will not sit down. You have done nothing for the unemployed, and you know very Well that nothing is being done. [Interruption.] We do not care two-pence for you.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODMr. Speaker, if you are in authority in this House, then it is your duty to call on that man there, who is Prime Minister—the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the Central Division of Glasgow—and who pledged himself that he would see to the remedying of unemployment in this country. A question has been put to him, and he has evaded it. He is here this morning, and he is the chief and in charge. Let him face the issue, and tell us what he has done. He has done nothing to justify his existence except for his pronouncement about tranquillity and peace. [HON. MEMBERS: "Order!"] 2931 It is in his bed he ought to be. [Interruption.] It is no use to us; it is no use to the British Empire. [HON. MEMBEES: "Oh, oh!"] He ought to resign, and let somebody who has got some intelligence and some energy and some initiative to lead the people—
§ Mr. MAXTONTell us what you are going to do. I do not want to make trouble in the House. I want to obey your ruling, Sir.
§ Mr. McENTEEOn a point, of Order. Arising out of the answer of the Prime Minister, I rose to ask a supplementary question, but sat down because you asked me to do so. You allowed two supplementary questions to be put after that. I think, Sir, you ought to allow me to put that supplementary question. I wanted to ask the Prime Minister if he is prepared to go before an audience in Glasgow now, and tell them what he has told this House?
§ Mr. LANSBURYWe want an answer. The Prime Minister says he did something. What is it? [Interruption.]
§ Mr. MARCHSurely, Sir, the Prime Minister can give a reply. He says the people are right; cannot he tell us what is right?
§ Mr. WEIRWould it not be proper that the Prime Minister should answer the question? It would make for order?
Mr. SPEAKER(who had remained standing): Hon. Members have said they intend to respect and obey the Chair—
§ Mr. J. JONESWe want the Prime Minister to do the same.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODAnd respect his promises.
Mr. SPEAKERI mast ask hon. Members to respect the Chair. The person in the Chair has been put there by the House itself, to carry out the orders of the House. I am quite sure that hon. Members will support the Chair.
§ Mr. MAXTONNo. it is not fair. [HON. MEMBERS: "Sit down!"] I have no quarrel with Mr. Speaker. I have as much respect for Mr. Speaker as any Member, but on an appeal of this sort, I am not going to have it. We are not fighting you, Sir, but the Front Government Bench.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWe are not going to be sent home, with you (the Prime Minister) telling the unemployed you have done something which you have not done.
§ The PRIME MINISTERWith your permission, Mr. Speaker, I shall endeavour to answer what I understand to be the question, that is. What have we done? We have explained our proposals at great length; they have been debated at great length, and how can it possibly be expected that, in answer to a question, I could give a reply which hon. Members would accept, if they have not accepted it when explained in Debate?
Mr. SHIN WELLIs the Prime Minister aware that in the early hours of this morning the House was compelled to consider proposals relating to unemployment relief and cognate subjects, and that the Closure was applied at a time when hon. Members on this side were endeavouring to put forward constructive proposals which might have assisted the Government?
Mr. SPEAKERI told the hon. Member this morning that ii is not open to hon. Members to criticise the action of the House.
§ Mr. HARDIEAs a voter in the constituency of the right hon. Gentleman in Glasgow, I wish to ask him if he has no memory regarding a speech made by him on the first night he arrived in Glasgow when, dealing with the unemployment 2933 question, in St. Andrew's Hall, he said the first business and the first duty of the nation on the industrial side was to deal with unemployment.
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, Sir. I have a perfect recollection of it, and I understand the complaint is that I have deceived people into voting for me. I would like to say, in reply to that, I have tried to deal with it. We have explained our policy over and over again in the House, and it is quite obvious—whether hon. Members consider that adequate or not—that they cannot get a more definite reply at a time of question and answer.