Mr. MacDONALDMay I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury a question regarding the business on Thursday. I understand that it has bean found quite impossible for the Government to put down the Vote for the grant in connection with the distressed mining areas for to-morrow. That being so, am I right in saying that, through the usual channels, the proposal is to be made that we should sit on Thursday morning at 11 o'clock, and that the discussion on all of Thursday's business should terminate at 9 o'clock at night.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Commander Eyres Monsell)Yes, Sir. The Government will table the usual Motion to provide for the meeting of the House at 11 a.m. on Thursday, for Questions to be taken until 12 noon, and to empower Mr. Speaker to adjourn the. House without. Question put at 9 p.m. That would be the Adjournment for the Christmas Recess.
The Supplementary Estimates for relief in distressed mining areas will be put down for to-morrow night and passed formally in Committee, and the Report stage will be taken as the first Order on Thursday. We do not yet know at what time the Treasury can have these Estimates printed.
These arrangements will make it possible for Members to debate the Supplementary Estimates and to raise other questions in which they are interested on the Motion for the Adjournment on Thursday.