§ Mr. CLYNESMay I ask the Prime Minister what business it is proposed to take next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROn Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Local Government (Scotland) Bill, Committee; first four allotted days.
The business for Friday will be announced later.
If there be time on any day, other Orders will be taken.
§ Mr. TINKERI wish to put a question to the Prime Minister, through you, Mr. Speaker, regarding the statement that if there is time on any of these days other Orders will be taken. In view of what happened during this week and last week, I would like an explanation. On 22nd January, the House adjourned at 10.24 p.m., and the Government did not attempt to take any other Orders. On 24th January, the House adjourned at 10.51 p.m.; on Friday, 25th January, at 3.34 p.m., and on Monday, 28th January, at 10.57 p.m., and no attempt was made to take any other Orders. But on Tuesday last, at 10.51 p.m., the Chief Whip suddenly announced that a certain Order would be taken. Why should these Orders be passed over on days when more time is available for them?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe procedure which the hon. Member criticised as 1142 having taken place at 10.51 p.m. on Tuesday was carried out with the consent of the benches opposite.
§ Mr. TINKERBut surely the Prime Minister recognises that this House is not composed merely of parties. I take it that private Members have some rights in these matters. Are agreements made without the consent of private Members to overrule those rights?
§ Lieut-Commander KENWORTHYCould not some arrangement be made for the benefit of Members in all parts of the House whereby an indication would be given of the other Orders to be taken on certain days? Would it be difficult for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury to say what Orders would be taken on certain days if time permitted?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. and gallant Member will see that to-day we specify in the Resolution on the Paper what Orders will be taken to-night. Of course, the hon. and gallant Member knows the procedure of this House very well; he knows what has been customary and that the natural means of communication between the Government and the Opposition are the Whips. It is always open to private Members to ascertain from their Whips exactly what business is being taken.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWhile I have no criticism to make of procedure through the ordinary channels, could not the Prime Minister, when announcing the business, say that he intends, if time permits, to take the following Orders, and then specify them, as he frequently has done in the past?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes. One might think about that, but, as the hon. and gallant Member knows, in the ordinary conduct of the business of the House it is impossible to tell from day to day whether there may or may not come an opportunity for legislation to be advanced. Sometimes legislation is advanced in that way, by whatever Government may be in power; at other times, Private Members assert themselves,. and often do so with great effect.
§ Mr. SHINWELLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that on the Second Reading of the Local Government (Scotland) Bill a majority of Scottish 1143 Members voted against it, that there is considerable opposition to this Measure in Scotland, and that at a recent by-election a majority of the electors voted against the Government; and in these circumstances will he withdraw the Bill?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would remind the hon. Member that I have been in the House a great many more years than he has, and I remember on many
§ occasions English Bills being carried by Scottish and Irish votes.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That the Proceedings on the Superannuation (Diplomatic Service) Bill and on the Overseas Trade Bill be exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House."—[The Prime Minister.]
§ The House divided: Ayes, 175; Noes, 105.
1145| Division No. 145.] | AYES. | [3.52 p.m. |
| Ainsworth, Lieut.-Col. Charles | Foster, Sir Harry S. | Penny, Frederick George |
| Albery, Irving James | Frece, sir Walter de | Percy, Lord Eustace (Hastings) |
| Alexander, E. E. (Leyton) | Fremantle, Lt.-Col. Francis E. | Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) |
| Applin, Colonel R. V. K. | Gadle, Lieut.-Col. Anthony | Power, Sir John Cecil |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W | Ganzoni, Sir John | Pownall, Sir Assheton |
| Astor, Viscountess | Gates, Percy | Preston, William |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Price, Major C. W. M. |
| Barnett, Major Sir Richard | Goff, Sir Park | Radford, E. A. |
| Beamish, Rear-Admiral T. P. H. | Grant, Sir J. A. | Raine, Sir Walter |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon | Guinness, Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Ramsden, E. |
| Berry, Sir George | Gunston, Captain D. W. | Reid, Capt. Cunningham (Warrington) |
| Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Hamilton, Sir George | Reid, D. D. (County Down) |
| Brass, Captain W. | Hanbury, C. | Rhys, Hon. C. A. U. |
| Brassey, Sir Leonard | Harrison, G. J. C. | Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y,Ch'ts'y) |
| Bridgeman, Rt. Hon. William Clive | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Rodd, Rt. Hon. Sir James Rennell |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Henn, Sir Sydney H. | Ropner, Major L. |
| Brittain, Sir Harry | Hills, Major John Waller | Ross, R. D. |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Hilton, Cecil | Ruggles-Brise, Lieut.-Colonel E. A. |
| Brooke, Brigadier-General C. R. I. | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H.C.(Berks, Newb'y) | Holbrook, Sir Arthur Richard | Salmon, Major I. |
| Buchan, John | Hope, Sir Harry (Forfar) | Sandeman, N. Stewart |
| Buckingham, Sir H. | Hopkins, J. W. W. | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. |
| Bullock, Captain M. | Hopkinson, Sir A. (Eng. Universities) | Shaw, Lt.-Col. A.D. Mcl.( Renfrew, W.) |
| Burman, J. B. | Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) | Shepperson, E. W. |
| Campbell, E. T. | Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. | Sinclair, Col. T.(Queen's Univ., Bell'st.) |
| Carver, Major W. H. | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) | Skelton, A. N. |
| Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Hume-Williams, Sir W. Ellis | Smith, Louis W. (Sheffield, Hallam) |
| Cayzer, Maj. Sir Herbt. R.(Prtsmth, S.) | Hurd, Percy A, | Smith, R. W. (Aberd'n Kinc'dine, C.) |
| Cazalet, Captain Victor A. | Inskip, Sir Thomas Walker H. | Smith-Carington, Neville W. |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Joynson-Hicks, Rt. Hon. Sir William | Somerville, A. A (Windsor) |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) | King, Commodore Henry Douglas | Southby, Commander A. R. J. |
| Chapman, Sir S. | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. |
| Christle, J. A. | Knox, Sir Alfred | Sprot, Sir Alexander |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Lister, Cunliffe-, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip | Steel, Major Samuel Strang |
| Churchman, Sir Arthur C. | Locker-Lampson, Rt. Hon. Godfrey | Stott, Lieut.-Colonel W. H. |
| Cobb, Sir Cyril | Lougher, Lewis | Stuart, Crichton., Lord C. |
| Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. | Lucas-Tooth, Sir Hugh Vere | Styles, Captain H. Walter |
| Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips | Lumley, L. R. | Thompson, Luke (Sunderland) |
| Colman, N. C. D. | MacAndrew, Major Charles Glen | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, South) |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell- |
| Cope, Major Sir William | Maclntyre, Ian | Tinne, J. A. |
| Couper, J. B. | McLean, Major A. | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Courthope, Colonel Sir G. L. | Macquisten, F. A. | Wallace, Captain D. E. |
| Crooke, J. Smedley (Derltend) | MacRobert, Alexander M. | Ward, Lt.-Col. A.L.(Kingston-on-Hull) |
| Crookshank, Cpt.H.(Lindsey,Gainsbro) | Maitland, A. (Kent, Faversham) | Watts, Sir Thomas |
| Dalkeith, Earl of | Maitland, Sir Arthur D. Steel- | Wells, S. R. |
| Davies, Sir Thomas (Cirencester) | Malone, Major P. B. | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Davies, Dr. Vernon | Manningham-Buller, Sir Mervyn | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Margesson, Captain D. | Womersley, W. J. |
| Drewe, C. | Milne, J. S. Wardlaw- | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir Kingsley |
| Eden, Captain Anthony | Mitchell, W. Foot (Saffron Walden) | Wood, Sir S. Hill- (High Peak) |
| Edmondson, Major A. Y. | Moore, Lieut.-Colonel T. C. R. (Ayr) | Woodcock, Colonel H. C. |
| Edwards, J. Hugh (Accrington) | Moore, Sir Newton J. | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Ellis, R. G. | Moreing, Captain A. H. | Wragg, Herbert |
| Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith | Morrison, H. (Wilts, Salisbury) | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton (Norwich) |
| Fairfax, Captain J. G. | Morrison-Bell, Sir Arthur Clive | |
| Falle, Sir Bertram G | Nelson, Sir Frank | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Fermoy, Lord | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exster | Commander B. Eyres Monsell and |
| Fielden, E. B. | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Major Sir George Hennessy. |
| Forestler-Walkar, Sir L. | Ormsby-Gore, Rt. Hon. William | |
| NOES. | ||
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife, West) | Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertlilery) | Batey, Joseph |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | Barnes, A. | Bellamy, A. |
| Ammon, Charles George | Barr, J. | Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. |
| Briant, Frank | Hutchison, Sir Robert (Montrose) | Sexton, James |
| Bromfield, William | Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Shinwell, E. |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Buchanan, G. | Jones, T. I. Mardy (Pontypridd) | Sinclair. Major Sir A. (Caithness) |
| Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel | Kelly, W. T. | Smith, Rennie (Penistone) |
| Charleton, H. C. | Kennedy, T. | Stamford, T. W. |
| Cluse, W. S. | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com, Hon. Joseph M. | Stephen, Campbell |
| Clynes, Right Hon. John R. | Kirkwood, D. | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Compton, Joseph | Lansbury, George | Sullivan, J. |
| Connolly, M. | Lawrence, Susan | Sutton, J. E. |
| Cowan, D. M (Scottish Universities) | Lee, F. | Taylor, R. A. |
| Crawfurd, H. E. | Lindley, F. W. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Dennison, R, | Lowth, T. | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Dunnico, H. | Lunn, William | Thurtie, Ernest |
| Evans, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Univer.) | Mackinder, W. | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Garro-Jones, Captain G. M. | MacLaren, Andrew | Tomlinson, R. P. |
| Gibbins, Joseph | Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) | Townend, A. E. |
| Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | MacNeill-Weir, L. | Wallhead, Richard C. |
| Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) | Malone, C. L'Estrange (N'thampton) | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Greenall, T. | March, S. | Watts-Morgan, Lt-Col. D. (Rhondda) |
| Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Montague, Frederick | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Wellock, Wilfred |
| Griffith, F. Kingsley | Mosley, Sir Oswald | Welsh, J. C. |
| Grundy, T. W. | Palin, John Henry | Westwood, J. |
| Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Wheatley, Rt. Hon. J. |
| Hamilton, sir R. (Orkney & Shetland) | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe) |
| Hardie, George D. | Ponsonby, Arthur | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Harris, Percy A. | Potts, John S. | Windsor, Walter |
| Hayday, Arthur | Purcell, A. A. | Wright, W. |
| Henderson, T. (Glasgow) | Ritson, J. | |
| Hirst, G. H. | Roberts, Rt. Hon. F. O. (W. Bromwich) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Saklatvala, Shapurji | Mr. Charles Edwards and Mr. Hayes |
| Hore-Belisha, Leslie | Scurr, John |