§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the Prime Minister what will be the business next week; and also at the same time whether, in view of the fact that the time is approaching for the Government to consider appointments to the British Broadcasting Corporation, he will afford the House an opportunity of considering the question of broadcasting before the appointments are made?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will take the second question first. The point which has now been put to me is not quite the question which was to be answered. As I had the question, it was as to whether an opportunity would be given to consider the appointments, and I am afraid that my answer is based upon that, and not upon the question of a discussion about broadcasting before the appointments are made. If my right hon. Friend would like me to answer the question I have, I shall be very glad to do so.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI am sorry that, whoever conveyed the question to the right hon. Gentleman, did not convey it fully. What we are asking for is that, before the appointments are made, there should be a discussion in this House on broadcasting.
§ The PRIME MINISTERPerhaps my right hon. Friend will be good enough to repeat that question on Monday, because it is not the question to which I have an 1022 answer. The business for next week will be as follows:
Monday: Expiring Laws Bill, Committee and Third Reading; Educational Endowments (Scotland) Bill, Second Reading and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
Tuesday: Statute of Westminster Bill, remaining stages.
Wednesday: Indian Pay (Temporary Abatements) Bill, Second Reading; National Health Insurance (Prolongation of Insurance) Bill, Second Reading; Educational Endowments (Scotland) Bill, remaining stages.
With the consent of the House, I will announce the business for Thursday and Friday later on, but on any day, if time permits, other Orders will be taken.
It might be for the guidance and the convenience of the House if I announce certain arrangements which I understand have been made through the usual channels. I understand that, as a result of conversations through the usual channels to-day, there is an arrangement that the Committee stage of the National Health Insurance (Prolongation of Insurance) Money Resolution should be passed to-day after the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Bill has been disposed of, and that the Report stage should be taken to-morrow so that the Bill may be printed and available to Members.
In regard to to-morrow, it is the intention of the Government to table Motion to-morrow to provide that Mr. Speaker shall not adjourn the House at the conclusion of business unless he shall have previously reported consent to the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Bill. As a matter of fact, we hope that that is only a precautionary measure, and we are not doing it because we think that it will be required.
Mr. HOPKIN MORRISWill there be any opportunity of discussing the appointments to the British Broadcasting Corporation before they are made?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat was the question which I understood I had to answer and my answer would be in the negative. The appointments are made by an Order-in-Council, and it would be both inconvenient and impracticable to 1023 discuss names in the way they would be discussed if the question was brought before the House of Commons.
Mr. MORRISWill there be no opportunity, not for the purpose of discussing the names, but the question of representation? At the present moment there is no Welsh representative on this Board at all, and the question of Welsh broadcasting has raised considerable difficulty in the past. Will the Prime Minister give an opportunity for discussing broadcasting?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat question is dealt with by divisional committees. All those things are controlled by the divisional organisations, and upon the Welsh Divisional Council I think there is a very ample representation of Welshmen.
§ Dr. MORRIS-JONESDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that it is in the public interest that this House should have no control whatsoever over the British Broadcasting Corporation?
§ Mr. LANSBURYWith regard to the National Health (Prolongation of Insurance) Bill, we very much want to help that Bill through. With regard to broadcasting, the only thing that we are anxious about is to discuss the whole question of broadcasting, without reference to the names of any particular people, and we thought that the best time to do that would be before these new appointments were made.
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs I have said, if my right hon. Friend will put that question to me on Monday, I shall be very glad to answer it. I would remind him now, however, that that is just the sort of question that can be discussed most appropriately on the Motion for Adjournment.
Mr. MORRISWith regard to Welsh broadcasting, does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that the advisory regional representation to which he has referred in no way meets the case?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not want to pursue that matter in this casual way. If my hon. Friend would like a considered answer on that point, perhaps he would be good enough to put a question on the Paper?
§ Mr. MAXTONWith regard to the business for the week, is it the view of the Government that this Session will be extended to a somewhat later date than was originally anticipated by the Government; and, if we are going to have a more extended Session than was originally contemplated, would it be possible for the Government to provide a day for the discussion of unemployment?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI imagine that my hon. Friend has his Prayers in mind—
§ Mr. BUCHANANUnemployment policy.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not think it is possible. Our intention regarding the length of the Session has not been changed. I hope that the House will rise at a reasonable time, so as to enable us to get on with very important administrative work.