§ Mr. STANLEY BALDWINMay I ask the Prime Minister what the business will be for next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMonday: Representation of the People (No. 2) Bill, Committee; 3rd Allotted Day.
Tuesday: Motion, "That Mr. Speaker do leave the chair on going into Committee of Supply on Air Estimates." In Committee, Air Estimates, Votes A 1, 4, 3, and 8. Ways and Means Resolution in Committee.
Wednesday: Supply, 2nd Allotted Day. Report of Navy Estimate 1931, Navy Supplementary Estimate 1930, and Navy Excess 1929.
Thursday: Supply, 3rd Allotted Day. Civil Estimates and Estimates for Revenue Departments; Vote on Account; Report.
The business for Friday will be announced later.
Commander Sir BOLTON EYRES MONSELLMay I ask the Leader of the House what subjects will be taken on the Report of the Vote on Account, and who will have the right to select those subjects?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe selection will be made by the Liberals below the Gangway. They have not yet handed in the subjects which they wish to have discussed. Perhaps they may be announced later.
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman: Are the Liberals given these facilities because they are regarded by the Government as a section of the Opposition, or are they given them as reward for faithful services?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe right hon. Gentleman has no business to make that suggestion. [Interruption.] The present Government can be trusted to carry on the rules and traditions of this House, whether right hon. Gentlemen opposite sneer or not. The party that has the right to choose the subjects is a part of the Opposition.
§ Sir HERBERT SAMUELAre not the arrangements made in precise accordance with the precedents which have been set; and is it not in accordance with the practice that has been followed in this Parliament that the Liberal party should have its turn in choosing?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONSince both the Prime Minister and the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Darwen (Sir H. Samuel) appeal to the rules and traditions of the House, may I not ask whether it is not the fact that in the 1906 Parliament, when the Liberal party were in a majority and were holding office, neither the Nationalists nor the Labour party were given such a choice of subjects?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat was not the case.