HC Deb 02 October 1924 vol 177 cc319-21
Mr. A. CHAMBERLAIN

Can the Lord Privy Seal give the House any indication of the intentions of the Government as regards the further conduct of business in this section of our Autumn Session?

Mr. CLYNES

With regard to to-day, should there be any Debate on Committee points with respect to the Irish Bill, we are hopeful that the Debate may conclude early, and that we shall then proceed to the discussion on the Third Reading and take the Division at the usual hour to-night. We think that that would best meet the convenience of the House. Should that not occur, the House would be assembled to-morrow at the usual time for the concluding stage, that is to say, the Third Reading, of this particular Bill.

The Bill would then proceed to another place, and our expectation is that it could not come back to this House until Thursday of next week. We propose, therefore, to ask the House on Thursday of next week to conclude the stages of the Irish Bill, and that we should allot Wednesday for a discussion of the Censure Motion on the Order Paper.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

I do not know what the course of proceeding in Committee will be, or how long our discussions in Committee will take, but I assume that the right hon. Gentleman, if the Committee stage be concluded early, would not attempt to take the Third Reading to-day, except by the general consent of the House?

Mr. CLYNES

Certainly.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

As far as I am concerned, I shall be glad to see it finished, if we are able to do so, but I do not want it to he understood that there is any agreement that we shall take the Third Reading, except by general consent.

Mr. CLYNES

That expresses accurately our own view.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

May I ask whether there is any intention of sitting to-morrow, Friday, if the Third Reading be taken today, and also whether we can definitely conclude from what the right hon. Gentleman has said that the House will not sit on Monday or Tuesday?

Mr. CLYNES

Yes: in the event of the Third Reading being concluded to-night, the House would adjourn to-night until Wednesday next.

Sir JOHN SIMON

Can the Deputy-Leader of the House tell us whether, in the event of the House not actually sitting on, as I think he said, Monday and Tuesday of next week, or on Friday of this week, those days would count as part of the 21 days within which the step has to be taken by the House in reference to the draft Russian Treaties which now lie on the Table?

Mr. CLYNES

That is a technical point. We should not desire to take advantage of it.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

Can you, Sir, help the House in that matter, by informing us whether, if the House be not sitting, those days would count for the purpose in question?

Mr. SPEAKER

The question is sprung upon me, but it seems to me quite clear that they must be days on which the House sits. I think there can be no doubt about that. If any hon. Member has any doubt, and will bring it to my notice, I will deal with it. At first sight, I should say distinctly that they must be days on which the House is sitting.

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

If I may say so, that was my impression, namely, that the Adjournment would affect Monday and Tuesday, just as normal week-end Adjournments prevent Saturdays from counting.

Sir J. SIMON

I apologise for raising the point without notice, but the doubt that occurred to me, I daresay without foundation, was, the words being "Parliamentary days," that if the House of Lords is sitting, and this House is not sitting, the days do not count.

Mr. SPEAKER

We should never let the other House affect us.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

Would it be competent to adjourn the House till Wednesday, without Notice of Motion?

Mr. SPEAKER

It would require a Motion, of course, and I think the Motion would require the assent of the House.

Sir JOHN MARRIOTT

As a fact, have the signed Treaties already been laid?

Mr. SPEAKER

Certainly they have.

Lieut.-Colonel JAMES

With regard to the arrangements for next week, a number of hon. Members have placed questions on the Paper for Monday and Tuesday. I should like to know whether they will be taken on Wednesday, or will lapse?

Mr. SPEAKER

They will be put forward on to Wednesday's Paper automatically.