§ Mr. COOPER RAWSON(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he will provide special facilities for the passing through all its stages of the necessary Bill, which is already prepared, for the re-opening of the Brighton Diamond Works, in view of the fact that the Bill is believed to be unopposed, and that if it is not passed this Session hundreds of men who have been specially trained for this work will continue to receive the dole for a further five or six months instead of becoming engaged almost at once on productive work.
§ The PRIME MINISTERA Financial Resolution must be passed through Committee and Report stages before this Bill can have a Second Reading. It is proposed to put down the Committee stage of the Financial Resolution for consideration to-night after eleven, and should it then be found that the Bill is, in the main, an agreed Bill, every endeavour will be made to facilitate its passage into law before the House rises. My hon. Friend will understand that at this stage of the Session it would obviously be impossible to pass this Bill, requiring as it does a Financial Resolution, through the House of Commons and through its various stages in another place in so short a time except by general agreement.
Mr. J. RAMSAY MacDONALDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, so far as we are concerned, it is an agreed Bill?
§ Lieut.-Colonel NALLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is the desire on this side that a very full explanation should be given in this case as to why a very large sum of public money is to be devoted to a factory which is already proved to be quite a hopeless failure?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe explanation should not take long, and it would then be seen whether the Bill is non-controversial or not.
Major DOUGLAS BROWNIs not this Bill a large extension of the Trade Facili- 230 ties Act, and very undesirable, inasmuch as it provides public money for private individuals?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will not prejudice the Debate.
§ Major PAGETIs it not a fact that all these men—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member will please debate the matter when it comes on.