ADJOURNMENT. (Hansard, 4 March 1932)

§ Mr. MANDER
I hope the Government will not press this Motion. Some time ago the Government decided to take the whole of private Members' time, and the hope was expressed that if any time was available it would be devoted to private Members' Bills. On this occasion we have three hours left. There are three Private Bills down for Second Reading. We could lay their principles before the House in a very few words, and so enable them to be sent to a Committee. Owing to the fact that all the time of private Members has been taken, there will be no opportunity for bringing private Members' Bills before the House this Session. I think it is an extraordinary thing that the Government should take all the time and, when we find that three hours sale available, place a veto on the activities of private Members. All the three Private Bills to which I have referred have been before the House in previous Sessions, and I desire to ask now that these Measures might be given a, Second Reading and sent upstairs to a Committee. I make a strong appeal to the Government not to misuse their powers in this way, but to give to private Members the opportunity which presents itself to-day.

§ Mr. HOLFORD KNIGHT
I wish to join in the appeal which has just been made to the House. It is within the recollection of the whole House that, when the Government took all the time of private Members, there was a suggestion made that, if a suitable opportunity occurred, such as that which has occurred to-day, private Members 1450 would be given a chance. I happen to be concerned with a Bill which has been approved several times by the House, and it would only be a matter of two or three minues to give the Measure a Second Reading. I ask the Government to give a few more minutes' time in order that we may proceed with those Measures.

§ Mr. MANDER
I hope the Government will have the courtesy to make some reply to the appeal which has been made to them.

§ Mr. KNIGHT
I desire to join in what my hon. Friend has said. Only a few days ago I readily met the views of the Government and formally presented my Bill, instead of making a speech on a Motion under the Ten Minutes Rule, of which I had given due notice. It is really proper courtesy to Members of the House, when observations of this character are made, that some representative of the Government should respond.

§ Captain AUSTIN HUDSON (Lord of the Treasury)
I did not intend any discourtesy to hon. Members, but the position, as I understand it, is that we are moving the Adjournment of the House now in order that the private Members' Bills on the Paper shall not receive a Second Reading after a Debate in the short time that is left. The reason for that is not that there is not sufficient time to give them a Second Reading, but that, if they receive a Second Reading, there will be further stages which they will have to get through. As the House knows, right up to the summer we have most important legislation to get through, and, therefore, these Bills could make no further progress. It has been decided by the House itself that private Members' time should be taken, and, therefore, on an occasion like this, although we are adjourning early, we cannot give the facilities for which the two hon. Members ask.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
I would not have intervened in this domestic dispute between the Government and their supporters but for the fact that I think it is a little unfortunate that on two Fridays running we should get away in this manner. I am very glad in one way, because, sitting here with my very tiny forces in the House, I find it very exact- 1451 ing to meet the opposition of hon. Members below the Gangway, hon. Members in front, and hon. Members behind. I must say that I am glad to be released, because of the other work that one has to do during the week-end, but I should have thought, that the hon. and learned Member for South Nottingham (Mr. Knight) and the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) might have made arrangements through the ordinary channels—the friendly ordinary channels—the Whips and others—

§ Mr. MANDER
I tried to do so.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
I still think that the hon. Member might persevere with his chiefs with a view to making some sort of arrangement for the use of this time. I should have been very glad myself to occupy it in some other way—not with the hon. Members' Bills, but in a manner that I should have considered more suitable; but I do not want to keep the House, because, in spite of what the hon. Members say, everyone wants to get away. I think it is rather a sign of the times that we have been so unanimous to-day in the legislation that has been brought forward. It shows that there are some things in connection with which we can really be a National Parliament in the sense that we do not oppose one another. The only other thing that I want to say is that I hope very much indeed that the two hon. Members are not, going to lead another division in the serried ranks, and for a number of reasons. One is that I think it is a very bad thing indeed that these matters cannot be settled behind the Chair.

§ Mr. TINKER
When the Government took the private Members' time, it was understood that no one would have the opportunity of getting through any Bills at all. I am glad to understand to-day that the Government are going to give a further opportunity of introducing Bills under the Ten Minutes Rule, so that there will perhaps be a chance of getting them through the later stages.

§ Mr. MANDER
There will be no chance.

§ Mr. TINKER
Yes. I understand that the hon. Member has a Bill which was introduced under the Ten Minutes Rule, and he now wants time to get it further advanced, whereas many of us refrained from bringing in such Bills because we saw no opportunity for them at all. I have in mind a Bill which is probably as important as either of the two hon. Members' Bills, for the compulsory insurance of workmen against injury. That is a most important matter, but I can see no opportunity of getting the Bill through the House, because the Government have taken all the time. If the Government cannot see their way to give the three hours that have been available on two successive Fridays—and there is the possibility of the same thing occurring on other Fridays—it will be for us to come forward with our Bill and ask for the same measure of toleration for which the hon. Member is now asking. I am in sympathy with him in view of the fact that there is time to spare, although I know that we all want to get away. It is the same with all people who do not want to work; none of us wants to work if it is possible to get out of it; but, so far as we are here, we want to made the best possible use of the time. I hope that the Government will consider this application from some of their most loyal followers—[Interruption.] Yes; although they cry out against the Government from time to time, nevertheless on important matters they go with the Government. I hope, therefore, that the Government will take notice of what they have said, and, if they do give the time, I can promise them that there will be a good number of Bills introduced under the Ten Minutes Rule.

§ Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER (Captain Bourne)
The hon. Member has already exhausted his right to speak.