§ The LORD PRIVY SEAL (Mr. Clynes)I beg to move, "That this House do now adjourn."
I make this formal Motion, for the purpose of making a statement on the business, which has been revised, for next week. It has been found advisable and convenient to make an alteration the effect of which is not to take the Factories Bill on Monday, and to move the Adjournment Motion, if possible, on Wednesday. Whether than can be done on Wednesday will depend upon our receiving the Amendments from another place with respect to the Housing Bill. Accordingly, I announce the business for next week in the following order:
Monday: Appropriation Bill, Second Reading; National Health Insurance Bill, Second Reading, if it is not disposed of to-day; Arbitration Clauses (Protocol) Bill, Report; China indemnity (Application) Bill, Report and Third Reading; Workmen s Compensation (Silicosis) Bill, Second Reading.
Tuesday: Appropriation Bill, remaining stages; and, if received, Lords Amendments to the Housing Bill and Agricultural Wages Bill.
Wednesday: Lords Amendments, if not previously disposed of, and Adjournment Motion until 28th October.
§ Sir K. WOODAll the approved societies are most anxious that the National Health Insurance Bill shall become law at an early date. It is simply a consolidating Bill, and a certificate has been given that there is no alteration in the law whatever. The present condition of things is very awkward to people who are engaged in the work of the approved 2469 societies, and I therefore hope it will be possible for the right hon. Gentleman to arrange that all stages of the Bill, on which there is no controversy whatever, may be taken to-day.
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLI understand the Workmen's Compensation (Silicosis) Bill is not printed yet, and therefore I think the right hon. Gentleman must be content with advancing it a stage. I do not think there will be time to do more than that before the Recess. With regard to Wednesday, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman if the Government will consider meeting at Eleven o'clock. If there were no Lords Amendments, we could adjourn till a later hour in the day, but in case there were any, it might be convenient to meet at Eleven.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI understand the Deputy-Leader of the House does not intend to take the National Health Insurance Bill to-day.
§ Mr. CLYNESThe Second Reading.
§ Mr. MASTERMANWe are only too anxious to get that Bill through. It is essential before we consider the whole national insurance question. Not taking the Factories Bill on Monday means that it will be left over till after the Recess. The third point is that my hon. Friends have asked me to make some reservation in connection with the China Indemnity Bill. They do not object to the Government programme in the least, but there will be some discussion and, perhaps, proposals made in connection with it. Otherwise we are only too pleased to fall in with the right hon. Gentleman's suggestions.
§ Mr. CLYNESI have no fault to find with any of the observations which have been addressed since I made the announcement. With respect to the Factories Bill, it is the intention to take it in the first week after we assemble, probably on the first day. I shall be glad if the House could agree to the whole of the stages of the National Health Insurance Bill being completed this afternoon. If time allows, there will be no objection. There is certainly no objection on the part of the Government. I accept the view that we should be content with obtaining only one stage of the Workmen's Compensation (Silicosis) Bill, if it be the fact that the 2470 Bill is not printed. It is a small and, I think, non-contentious Measure, to bring within the compensation law men who suffer from this disease as the result of their work. I agree that it ought not to be pressed too far if the Bill has not been printed.
§ Motion, by leave, withdrawn.