HC Deb 26 June 1924 vol 175 cc598-600
Mr. BALDWIN

May I ask the Deputy-Leader of the House what the business will be for next week?

Mr. CLYNES

On Monday: Finance Bill, Committee.

Tuesday: Public Health (Scotland) Amendment Bill, Second Reading; Old Age Pensions Bill, Second Reading; Auxiliary Air Force and Air Force Reserve Bill, Report. We hope also that it will be possible on that day to take some small Orders, which will be announced later.

Wednesday: Finance Bill, Committee.

Thursday: Supply, Scottish Estimates.

I may add that we shall ask the House to agree to the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule to-night, as previously intimated, in order to complete the remaining stages of the London Traffic Bill and Orders 6—Local Authorities (Emergency Provisions) Bill, consideration of Lords Amendment—and 9—Old Age Pensions, Report. Should those Orders be completed within a reasonable time, we hope for the passage of Orders 7—County Courts Bill, Report—and 8—Post Office (London) Railway Bill, Second Reading, in the event of there being no real opposition to them.

Mr. A. CHAMBERLAIN

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it would be much more convenient, both for the Minister and for the House, to take the Committee stage of the Finance Bill on two successive days, instead of taking the first part of the discussion on Monday, interposing other business on Tuesday, and then finishing on Wednesday? Would it not be better to have it on Tuesday and Wednesday or on Monday and Tuesday?

Mr. KIRKWOOD

How is it that we are only getting one day for Scottish affairs?

Mr. SPEAKER

We can have only one day at a time.

Mr. CLYNES

There are two reasons why Tuesday's business is to be as announced. One is a public engagement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the other is that we want as speedily as possible to pass the Pensions Bill into law.

Sir K. WOOD

When does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take the Committee stage of the Housing Bill?

Mr. CLYNES

I am not quite sure, but I am hopeful that we may begin the Committee stage of the Housing Bill the week after next.

Mr. BALDWIN

With reference to the business for to-night, which the Lord Privy Seal has announced, I think he is expecting too much to take Orders 7 and 8. We on this side of the House see no objection to taking Orders 5, 6 and 9, which means a fair amount of business, but if we are to have the County Courts Bill and the Post Office (London) Railway Bill taken at 2 o'clock to-night, I think it is too much.

Mr. CLYNES

I agree, and in my closing observations I said that it was not intended to take them at any late hour. If there be real objection to our taking Orders 7 and 8, we will not press them.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

Is it proposed to take the Report of the Navy Votes to-night?

Mr. CLYNES

If the business of Supply be not finished at Eleven o'Clock, we shall not attempt to take the Report.

Mr. B. SMITH

Could not the right hon. Gentleman in future see that the House has at least a day's work in front of it when it meets and so save the large expense of Members having to get home by other means than the railway late at night? Last night the House was adjourned at 9.15, and we could have gone on and saved another late sitting to-night.

Ordered, That the proceedings on Government business be exempted at this day's Sitting from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House)."—[Mr. Clynes.]