BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 21 April 1932)

§ Mr. LANSBURY
May I ask the Lord President of the Council what will be the business next week?

§ Mr. BALDWIN
Monday: Committee stage of the Financial Resolution relating to the Exchange Equalisation Account; Report stage of the Budget Resolutions.
Tuesday and Wednesday: Debate on a Motion to approve an Order made under the Import Duties Act, 1932, and on a 1636 Motion to approve the revocation of Orders made under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, 1931.
Thursday: Conclusion of Report stage of Budget and Financial Resolutions.
On any day, should there be time, other Orders will be taken.
The business for Friday will be announced later.
The House may be interested to know that the White Paper containing the recommendations of the Import Duties Advisory Committee, and the Treasury Order which has been made thereon, will be available to Members in the Vote Office before the House rises to-night.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
I understand that practically two days are being given to the Report stage of the Budget Resolutions. In view of the fact that on Monday there will be before the House the very important Resolution dealing with the Exchange Account, which will be taken first and will probably take up a very considerable time, leaving only a part of Monday and all of Thursday for the Budget Resolutions, would it not be possible to give another day to them, in order to enable us to have a full discussion?

§ Mr. BALDWIN
I have followed very carefully the business so far, and I have put down what I think would be a not unreasonable allocation of time. There are, of course, several other opportunities, in the ordinary financial procedure, of considering these Resolutions, but if we find, as the Debate goes on—apart from obstruction, which I do not anticipate—that the time seems shorter than the House might desire, then, if it is proposed through the usual channels, I should be quite prepared to consider the matter. I cannot say any more.

§ Mr. MAXTON
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, first, whether he has not yet found it possible to provide a day for the discussion of the Irish question; and, secondly, with regard to his allocation of time for next week, whether he is not afraid that we are getting through the work much too quickly?

§ Mr. BALDWIN
The answer to the second question must always be in the negative. With regard to the first, no suggestion has been made so far from any 1637 quarter in the House that time should be provided for a discussion on the Irish question, and so I have not considered it.

§ Mr. MAXTON
The right hon. Gentleman knows, of course, of the representations which I and my friends have made on several occasions, when he says that no approach has been made with regard to time for such a discussion. I definitely make the request now that he should endeavour at an early date to find an opportunity for the House of Commons to discuss this very important matter.

§ Mr. BALDWIN
I do not think that a discussion at the present stage would serve any useful purpose. It would be clearly impossible to take such a discussion next week, as the business is fully allocated. Perhaps, when the Prime Minister returns, the hon. Member will be good enough to put a question to him.