BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 4 February 1932)

§ Mr. LANSBURY
May I ask the Lord President of the Council what will be the order of business for next week? I should also like to ask when the Secretary of State for India will be able to open a Debate on the present conditions in India.

§ Mr. BALDWIN
If I may answer the latter question first, from the Debate yesterday the right hon. Gentleman will know what the congestion of business is at present, but we were relieved by the result of the Division, and we shall have a little more time than we should have had had we not taken private Members' time. We are anxious that opportunity should be given to the Secretary of State for India to make a statement and that everything that we know at present should be put in possession of the House, and I throw out the suggestion—having had very little time to consider this—that if the right hon. Gentleman would put down the India Vote on the Vote on Account for the Civil Services, that would be a suitable occasion; we should have the whole day, and the Secretary of State could initiate a Debate. Perhaps that might meet the requirements, but I should not ask for any reply now. That might be pursued through the usual channels.
With regard to the business for next week, it will be as follows:
Monday: Debate on Opposition Vote of Censure on the Government relating to Cabinet responsibility.
Tuesday: Conclusion of the Committee stage of the Ways and Means Resolutions.
Wednesday: Report stage of the Ways and Means Resolutions.
Thursday: Committee stage of Supplementary Estimates. The Supplementary Estimates will be circulated to Members on Saturday morning, and an announcement will he made early next week as to the order in which it is proposed to take them.
264 The business for Friday will be announced later; and, if there is time on any day, other Orders will be taken.
To-morrow, Friday, after the Resolutions relating to the Orders made under the Horticultural Products Act have been disposed of, it is hoped to obtain the Second Reading of the Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Bill, from another place, and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
In reference to the Report stage of the Ways and Means Resolutions, the right hon. Gentleman is aware that none of us could have seen or known anything about them until to-day, and does he think that one day will he sufficient for the Report stage of those Resolutions? As I understand it, we shall in all probability to-day and on Tuesday discuss the general question, and there is a suggestion that the two days should be for general discussion, leaving only one day to take the Resolutions in detail.

§ Mr. BALDWIN
Literally that is true. The Resolutions, as was announced yesterday, will be available after the speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It is always customary in Budget Debates that the discussion is general; that is to say, that any Member can devote his speech to any part of the Resolutions that he desires. There is no reason why any Resolution should not be discussed. We are giving two days for the Committee stage and one day for the Report, and, although it has not yet been announced, it is the intention of the Government to give two days for the Second Reading of the Bill which will be introduced on the Resolutions, thus giving five days, which will be available to the House for the widest and most general discussion which they can desire, and we think that is enough.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
But the subject matters that are to be debated to-day and on Tuesday are, as everyone will agree, quite new. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Well, everybody agrees that it is a very great departure in our fiscal policy, and I understand the two days are to be devoted to a general discussion of that question, of the advisability of taking the step at all. Therefore, there ought certainly to be another day in addition to the one day for dealing with 265 the proposals in detail and in Committee, and I press the right hon. Gentleman that we should have one extra day for the Report stage.

§ Sir H. CROFT
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that every day's delay means a further flood of goods pouring into this country?

§ Mr. BALDWIN
The remark just made by the hon. and gallant Gentleman is of course very pertinent to this matter. We are giving five whole days for discussion—necessarily on principles and a certain amount of detail—before we go into the Committee stage. I agree that full discussion is important, but I think that five days is ample for that purpose. I would take up the point made by the hon. and gallant Member that the moment the proposals are known, every day's delay will increase the amount of imports that will come in until the legislation comes into force. Therefore, it is a matter of urgency that, consistent with due regard for the House of Commons, the legislation should be passed as quickly as possible.

§ Mr. MAXTON
With regard to the offer of one of the Supply days for an Indian Debate, I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman if an arrangement has been come to about the allocation of the Supply days?

§ Mr. BALDWIN
No, no allocation at all. I had no information that the question was to be asked, and I just threw out the suggestion as a, possible means of meeting the desire of the Opposition.

§ Mr. MAXTON
Before it will be possible for any party in the House to agree to take a Supply day for a subject which would normally be a Vote of Censure, surely it will be necessary to know how many Supply days are to be available.

§ Mr. BALDWIN
The Supply days are as usual; there are 20 of them. It is always customary, as the hon. Member knows, for the Opposition to ask for the Vote which they require. The Estimates are brought forward, and it is customary for the Labour Opposition to have the first choice. The hon. Member occupies the position which the Liberal party occupied in the last Parliament.

§ Mr. MAXTON
I am more than satisfied with the assurance that the right hon. Gentleman has given.