HC Deb 21 March 1929 vol 226 cc1866-7
Mr. SNOWDEN

May I ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if there has been any change in the programme of business up to the Adjournment which was announced on Tuesday, and, further, whether the Government are in a position to say when the House will resume after the Easter Recess?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Commander Eyres Monsell)

The business for next week announced by the Prime Minister on Tuesday is subject to one alteration. The Gas Undertakings Bill will not be received from another place in time to allow the Government to proceed with it, and on Tuesday of next week, in its stead, it is proposed to take as the fourth Order, the Report and Third Reading of the Savings Banks Bill. I am not in a position yet to say when the House will resume. We hope to let the House know that next week, but I still hope that we may have the customary 10 or 11 days' holiday.

Mr. BENN

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Cabinet has yet come to a decision as to the selection of polling day?

Mr. CHURCHILL

Matters of this kind will be announced in due course by the head of the Government.

Mr. R. MORRISON

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it would be much more satisfactory to this House and to the nation if the date of the General Election were announced rather than to leave it to official announcements to be made on behalf of Ministers at public meetings, or to be made, as it was made this afternoon before the right hon. Get- tleman came in, in a perfectly audible manner by the Home Secretary, in reply to a supplementary question.

Mr. CHURCHILL

I do not think that I can be called upon to answer questions relating to the proprieties of Parliamentary procedure. I think that such matters had much better be dealt with by questions through the agency of the official Leader of the Opposition to the Government.

Mr. W. THORNE

Is not the Chancellor of the Exchequer aware that most of the Conservative agents have had notification that polling day will be on 30th May, and have been ordered to book up all the halls for the 29th?

Ordered, That other Government Business hath precedence this day of the Business of Supply."—[Sir W. Joynson-Hicks.]