§ Mr. CHURCHILLMay I ask the Prime Minister how far, in the event of the Motion standing in his name on the Paper being carried, he proposes to go to-night?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government's idea is to take the first four Orders, but I think that hon. Members will notice that, as regards the first two, there is really no controversial matter, and the subjects have already been discussed on Resolutions. The biggest item, of course, will be the Mental Treatment Bill, but in that case the objection is confined only to one or two, whose position, I think, has been more or less met as far as is reasonably possible. In the case of the Overseas Trade Bill, there are no Amendments on the Paper. There- 1634 fore, although there are four items, I hope that the House will regard them as non-contentious.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWould the right hon. Gentleman, for our convenience, state whether there is any change in his previous intention to take the Second Reading of the Finance Bill on Monday?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes. I announced yesterday that the Finance Bill would be taken on Monday, and I did that, as a matter of fact, in order to give notice to the House lest there was a desire to make representations. I find that they have been made, with the result that there is an agreement all round that Tuesday would be a better day than Monday, and the Government are very happy indeed to confirm that.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI presume, therefore, that the Second Reading of the Bill will be taken on Wednesday night? Is that so?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe are following exactly what happened in 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928 and 1929 in giving one day for the Second Reading of the Finance Bill. That has been done since and including 1925, except once, when there was no discussion on the Report stage of the Resolutions, and then another quarter of a day or half-day was given. Otherwise, it has been one day.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWill not the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the very great consequences of the present Budget, with its immense new impositions of taxation, and meet the general desire which I believe exists among the Opposition to have at least one day and a portion of another day for the discussion of such an important Measure?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI doubt very much, if the right hon. Gentleman would throw his mind back to his own Budget of 1928, whether he would discover that there is more variety in this Budget than there was in his. We also then asked for an extra day, quite reasonably, I agree, but the Government would not give us it.
Commander Sir BOLTON EYRES MONSELLWhat did the right hon. Gentleman mean by the word "agree- 1635 ment"? There is no agreement over this question of the Finance Bill at all. I have to be very careful.
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt was an agreement that Tuesday would be more suitable than Monday. That is what I meant to say. Having announced it for Monday, there was an agreement that it had better be taken on Tuesday. That did not involve any agreement as to when the Division should be taken.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWill the right hon. Gentleman consider whether in all the circumstances it would not be more convenient to give a further half-day for the Second Reading.? [Interruption.] I am asking the hon. Members' leader and not them. Will the right hon. Gentleman consider that before Thursday?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI should be very willing to consider it, but really I must say I can hold out no hope whatever that precedent will be departed from. We are working on what has been done since 1925, and including 1925, and I think it is very fair to the House, in view of the time that has been given to the Resolutions, to ask that the Bill should be taken on one day.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI cannot he understood to assent in any way at this moment.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That the Proceedings on Government Business 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, 248; Noes, 153.
1639| Division No. 289.] | AYES. | [3.53 p.m. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. W. (Fife, West) | Elmley, Viscount | Jowett, Rt. Hon. F. W. |
| Adamson, W. M. (Staff., Cannock) | England, Colonel A. | Jowitt, Rt. Hon. Sir W. A. |
| Altchison, Rt. Hon. Craigie M. | Evans, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Univer.) | Kelly, W. T. |
| Alexander, Rt. Hon. A. V. (Hillsbro') | Foot, Isaac | Kennedy, Thomas |
| Alpass, J. H. | Forgan, Dr. Robert | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com. Hon. Joseph M. |
| Arnott, John | Freeman, Peter | Knight, Holford |
| Aske, Sir Robert | Gardner, B. W. (West Ham, Upton) | Lambert, Rt. Hon. George (S. Molton) |
| Ayles, Walter | George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) | Lansbury, Rt. Hon. George |
| Baker, John (Wolverhampton, Bilston) | George, Megan Lloyd (Anglesea) | Lathan, G. |
| Baldwin, Oliver (Dudley) | Gibson, H. M. (Lancs, Mossley) | Law, Albert (Bolton) |
| Barnes, Alfred John | Gill, T. H. | Law, A. (Rosendale) |
| Barr, James | Glassey, A. E. | Lawrence, Susan |
| Bellamy, Albert | Gossling, A. G. | Lawson, John James |
| Benn, Rt. Hon. Wedgwood | Gould, F. | Lawther, W. (Barnard Castle) |
| Bennett, Captain E. N. (Cardiff, Central) | Graham, Rt. Hon. Wm. (Edin., Cent.) | Leach, W. |
| Benson, G. | Gray, Milner | Lee, Frank (Derby, N. E.) |
| Bentham, Dr. Ethel | Greenwood, Rt. Hon. A. (Colne) | Lee, Jennie (Lanark, Northern) |
| Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) | Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Lees, J. |
| Blindell, James | Griffith, F. Kingsley (Middlesbro' W.) | Lloyd, C. Ellis |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Groves, Thomas E. | Logan, David Gilbert |
| Bromley, J. | Grundy, Thomas W. | Longbottom, A. W. |
| Brothers, M. | Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) | Longden, F. |
| Brown, C. W. E. (Notts, Mansfield) | Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Lovat-Fraser, J. A. |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Hall, Capt. W. P. (Portsmouth, C.) | Lowth, Thomas |
| Brown, Rt. Hon. J. (South Ayrshire) | Hamilton, Mary Agnes (Blackburn) | Lunn, William |
| Brown, W. J. (Wolverhampton, West) | Hamilton, Sir R. (Orkney & Zetland) | Macdonald, Gordon (Ince) |
| Burgess, F. G. | Hardie, George D. | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Seaham) |
| Buxton, C. R. (Yorks. W. R. Elland) | Hastings, Dr. Somerville | MacDonald, Malcolm (Bassetlaw) |
| Buxton, Rt. Hon. Noel (Norfolk, N.) | Haycock, A. W. | McElwee, A. |
| Calne, Derwent Hall- | Hayday, Arthur | McKinlay, A. |
| Cameron, A. G. | Henderson, Arthur, Junr. (Cardiff, S.) | MacLaren, Andrew |
| Cape, Thomas | Henderson, Thomas (Glasgow) | Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) |
| Carter, W. (St. Pancras, S. W.) | Henderson, W. W. (Middx., Enfield) | MacNeill-Weir, L. |
| Charleton, H. C. | Herriotts, J. | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. |
| Church, Major A. G. | Hirst, G. H. (York W. R. Wentworth) | McShane, John James |
| Clarke, J. S. | Hirst, W. (Bradford, South) | Malone, C. L'Estrange (N'thampton) |
| Cluse, W. S. | Hoffman, P. C. | Mansfield, W. |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. John R. | Hollins, A. | March, S. |
| Cocks, Frederick Seymour | Hopkin, Daniel | Marley, J. |
| Cowan, D. M. | Horrabin, J. F. | Marshall, Fred |
| Daggar, George | Hudson, James H. (Huddersfield) | Mathers, George |
| Dallas, George | Hunter, Dr. Joseph | Matters, L. W. |
| Dalton, Hugh | Hutchison, Maj.-Gen. Sir R. | Melville, Sir James |
| Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Isaacs, George | Messer, Fred |
| Day, Harry | John, William (Rhondda, West) | Millar, J. D. |
| Denman, Hon. R. D. | Johnston, Thomas | Montague, Frederick |
| Dickson, T. | Jones, F. Llewellyn- (Flint) | Morgan, Dr. H. B. |
| Dukes, C. | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Morley, Ralph |
| Duncan, Charles | Jones, J. J. (West Ham, Silvertown) | Morris, Rhys Hopkins |
| Ede, James Chuter | Jones, Rt. Hon. Leif (Camborne) | Morris-Jones, Dr. J. H. (Denbigh) |
| Edmunds, J. E. | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Morrison, Herbert (Hackney, South) |
| Edwards, E. (Morpeth) | Jones, T. I. Mardy (Pentypridd) | Morrison, Robert C. (Tottenham, N.) |
| Mort, D. L. | Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter | Strachey, E. J. St. Loe |
| Moses, J. J. H. | Russell, Richard John (Eddisbury) | Sullivan, J. |
| Mosley, Lady C. (Stoke-on-Trent) | Salter, Dr. Alfred | Taylor, R. A. (Lincoln) |
| Mosley, Sir Oswald (Smethwick) | Samuel, H. W. (Swansea, West) | Taylor, W. B. (Norfolk, S. W.) |
| Muggeridge, H. T. | Sanders, W. S. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Derby) |
| Nathan, Major H. L. | Sandham, E. | Thurtle, Ernest |
| Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) | Sawyer, G. F. | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Oliver, P. M. (Man., Blackley) | Scurr, John | Tout, W. J. |
| Owen, H. F. (Hereford) | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) | Townend, A. E. |
| Palin, John Henry | Shepherd, Arthur Lewis | Trevelyan, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles |
| Paling, Wilfrid | Sherwood, G. H. | Turner, B. |
| Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Shield, George William | Vaughan, D. J. |
| Perry, S. F. | Shiels, Dr. Drummond | Viant, S. P. |
| Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. | Shillaker, J. F. | Walker, J. |
| Phillips, Dr. Marion | Shinwell, E. | Wallace, H. W. |
| Picton-Turbervill, Edith | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) | Watkins, F. C. |
| Pole, Major D. G. | Simmons, C. J. | Wellock, Wilfred |
| Potts, John S. | Sinclair, Sir A. (Caithness) | West, F. R. |
| Price, M. P. | Sinkinson, George | Westwood, Joseph |
| Quibell, D. F. K. | Smith, Alfred (Sunderland) | White, H. G. |
| Ramsay, T. B. Wilson | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) | Whiteley, Wilfrid (Birm., Ladywood) |
| Rathbone, Eleanor | Smith, Frank (Nuneaton) | Wilkinson, Ellen C. |
| Raynes, W. R. | Smith, H. B. Lees- (Keighley) | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Llanelly) |
| Richards, R. | Smith, Rennie (Penistone) | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) | Smith, Tom (Pontefract) | Wilson, J. (Oldham) |
| Riley, Ben (Dewsbury) | Smith, W. R. (Norwich) | Wilson, R. J. (Jarrow) |
| Riley, F. F. (Stockton-on-Tees) | Snell, Harry | Winterton, G. E. (Leicester, Loughb'gh) |
| Ritson, J. | Snowden, Rt. Hon. Philip | Young, R. S. (Islington, North) |
| Roberts, Rt. Hon. F. O. (W. Bromwich) | Snowden, Thomas (Accrington) | |
| Romeril, H. G. | Sorensen, R. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Rosbotham. D. S. T. | Stamford, Thomas W. | Mr. Charles Edwards and Mr. |
| Rowson, Guy | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) | William Whiteley. |
| NOES. | ||
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Edmondson, Major A. J. | Oman, Sir Charles William C. |
| Albery, Irving James | Elliot, Major Walter E. | O'Neill, Sir H. |
| Allen, Sir J. Sandeman (Liverp'l., W.) | Erskine, Lord (Somerset, Weston-s.-M.) | Peake, Capt. Osbert |
| Allen, W. E. D. (Belfast, W.) | Everard, W. Lindsay | Penny, Sir George |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Wilfrid W. | Falle, Sir Bertram G. | Percy, Lord Eustace (Hastings) |
| Atkinson, C. | Ferguson, Sir John | Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) |
| Baillie-Hamilton, Hon. Charles W. | Fermoy, Lord | Pownall, Sir Assheton |
| Balniel, Lord | Forestler-Walker, Sir L. | Preston, Sir Walter Rueben |
| Beamish, Rear-Admiral T. P. H. | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Purbrick, R. |
| Beaumont, M. W. | Ganzoni, Sir John | Ramsbotham, H. |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Remer, John R. |
| Betterton, Sir Henry B. | Glyn, Major R. G. C. | Rentoul, Sir Gervals S. |
| Bird, Ernest Roy | Gower, Sir Robert | Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y, Ch't'sy) |
| Bourne, Captain Robert Croft | Graham, Fergus (Cumberland, N.) | Roberts, Sir Samuel (Ecclesall) |
| Bowater, Col. Sir T. Vansittart | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. | Ross, Major Ronald D. |
| Bowyer, Captain Sir George E. W. | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John | Ruggles-Brise, Lieut.-Colonel E. A. |
| Boyce, H. L. | Gritted, W. G. Howard | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) |
| Bracken, B. | Gunston, Captain D. W. | Salmon, Major I. |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Hacking, Rt. Hon. Douglas H. | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Brass, Captain Sir William | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Sandeman, Sir N. Stewart |
| Briscoe, Richard George | Hamilton, Sir George (Ilford) | Sassoon, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip A. G. D. |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Berks, Newb'y) | Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Savery, S. S. |
| Buckingham, Sir H. | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Simms, Major-General J. |
| Bullock, Captain Malcolm | Haslam, Henry C. | Sinclair, Col. T. (Queen's U., Belfast) |
| Carver, Major W. H. | Henderson, Capt. R. R. (Oxf'd, Henley) | Skelton, A. N. |
| Castle Stewart, Earl of | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. | Smith, Louis W. (Sheffield, Hallam) |
| Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Hope, Sir Harry (Forfar) | Smith-Carington, Neville W. |
| Cayzer, Sir C. (Chester, City) | Howard-Bury, Colonel C. K. | Smithers, Waldron |
| Cayzer, Maj. Sir Herbt. R.(Prtsmth, S.) | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Cazalet, Captain Victor A. | Hurd, Percy A. | Somerville, D. G. (Willesden, East) |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Hurst, Sir Gerald B. | Southby, Commander A. R. J. |
| Cobb, Sir Cyril | Lamb, Sir J. Q. | Spender-Clay, Colonel H. |
| Cockerill, Brig.-General Sir George | Leighton, Major B. E. P. | Stanley, Lord (Fyide) |
| Colfox, Major William Philip | Llewellin, Major J. J. | Stanley, Maj. Hon. O. (W'morland) |
| Colman, N. C. D. | Locker-Lampson, Rt. Hon. Godfrey | Stewart, W. J. (Belfast, South) |
| Colville, Major D. [...]. | Lymington, Viscount | Sueter Rear-Admiral M. F. |
| Courtauid, Major J. S. | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Tinne, J. A. |
| Courthope, Colonel Sir G. L. | Macquisten, F. A. | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Crichton-Stuart, Lord C. | MacRobert, Rt. Hon. Alexander M. | Todd, Capt. A. J. |
| Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Maitland, A. (Kent, Faversham) | Train, J. |
| Crookshank, Cpt. H. (Lindsey, Gainsbro) | Makins, Brigadier-General E. | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Culverwell, C. T. (Bristol, West) | Margesson, Captain H. D. | Turton, Robert Hugh |
| Cunliffe-Lister, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip | Meller, R. J. | Wallace, Capt. D. E. (Hornsey) |
| Dalkeith, Earl of | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) | Ward, Lieut.-Col. Sir A. Lambert |
| Davies, Dr. Vernon | Mitchell-Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. | Wardlaw-Milne, J. S. |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Monsell, Eyres, Com. Rt. Hon. Sir B. | Warrender, Sir Victor |
| Duckworth, G. A. V. | Morrison-Bell, Sir Arthur Clive | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Dugdale, Capt. T. L. | Muirhead, A. J. | Wayland, Sir William A. |
| Eden, Captain Anthony | Nicholson, Col. Rt. Hn. W. G. (Ptrsf'ld) | Wells, Sydney R. |
| Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay) | Wolmer, Rt. Hon. Viscount | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Wilson, G. H. A. (Cambridge U.) | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir Kingsley | Major Sir George Hennessy and |
| Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. | Sir Frederick Thomson. |
Bill read a Second time.