§ Mr. MAXTONArising out of the rearrangement of business which has arisen, may I ask when the Scottish Housing Bill will now be taken, seeing that it was down for discussion on Wednesday?
§ Sir AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINWith regard to the business before Easter, do the Government propose to make any further statement about what is known as the Pact of Rome, and will the House have an opportunity of discussing the matter before the Adjournment?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe position at the moment is that what is known, very inaccurately, as the Pact of Rome is such that no fresh statement would be of any profit to make. Negotiations and exchange of views are still in process, and no event has happened which will make a further statement profitable to the House. A statement will undoubtedly be made as soon as that profitable period arises. With reference to the Scottish Housing Bill, I am afraid we shall have to await events. We desire it to be carried before the Easter Adjournment, but at the, moment we cannot say whether that is possible or not. We are very anxious that it should be done.
§ Mr. LANSBURYThe right hon. Gentleman is going to move a Motion with reference to business to-night. I should like to know how long he proposes that the House shall sit. It is not our fault that there is not longer time.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINMay I remind the right hon. Gentleman that statements have come from Paris of a 1580 much more definite kind about the proposals that were discussed at Rome than any that we have had. I hope he will understand that I do not want to press him unduly but I would ask that the House may be put in possession of such information as is possible at the earliest moment.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI hope the right hon. Gentleman and every Member of the House will read with great reserve statements that appear in the Press regarding this Pact. When the British Government publishes papers, the House may assume that the publication is accurate, but statements which are in the nature of newspaper leakage must be read with very great reserve. In answer to the right hon. Gentleman opposite, the Eleven o'clock Rule is being suspended for the Committee stage of the Rent Restrictions Bill, with which the Government desire to make substantial progress.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs there any possibility of knowing what period the right hon. Gentleman has in mind for to-day's sitting?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI have not so much time in my mind as a point in the Bill. That point can be rapidly reached, and I hope that will be our experience this evening.
§ Mr. MAXTONWill the right hon. Gentleman state, for the convenience of all Members, a definite time at which the House will be allowed by the Government to rise? A late sitting is great sport at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but it is not so funny at 4 o'clock in the morning. I would ask the Prime Minister, having regard to the general convenience of Members of the House, not to succumb to the enthusiasm of more violent Members, and to remember that Government business throughout the whole of the Session has proceeded with very great speed and with a minimum of opposition, and that there is no need to rush this particular piece of legislation.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI see no reason why this very important Bill—the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions (Amendment) Bill—should not be proceeded with rapidly, and I should prefer to adhere to the arrangement which has been made through the usual channels.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That the Proceedings on Government Business be exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order
§ (Sittings of the House).—[The Prime Minister.]
§ The House divided: Ayes, 324; Noes, 44.
1583| Division No. 109.] | AYES. | [3.48 p.m. |
| Acland, Rt. Hon. Sir Francis Dyke | Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Jackson, Sir Henry (Wandsworth, C.) |
| Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel | Davison, Sir William Henry | James, Wing-Com. A. W. H. |
| Agnew, Lieut.-Com. P. G. | Denman, Hon. R. D. | Joel, Dudley J. Barnato |
| Aitchison, Rt. Hon. Craigie M. | Despencer-Robertson, Major J. A. F. | Johnstone, Harcourt (S. Shields) |
| Albery, Irving James | Dickie, John P. | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) |
| Allen, Sir J. Sandeman (L'pool, W.) | Donner, P. W. | Ker, J. Campbell |
| Anstruther-Gray, W. J. | Doran, Edward | Kerr, Hamilton W. |
| Applin, Lieut.-Col. Reginald V. K. | Dower, Captain A. V. G. | Knight, Holford |
| Aske, Sir Robert William | Drewe, Cedric | Knox, Sir Alfred |
| Astor, Maj. Hn. John J.(Kant, Dover) | Duckworth, George A. V. | Lamb, Sir Joseph Quinton |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Dugdale, Captain Thomas Lionel | Lambert, Rt. Hon. George |
| Baldwin-Webb, Colonel J. | Duggan, Hubert John | Latham, Sir Herbert Paul. |
| Balfour, Capt. Harold (I. of Thanet) | Duncan, James A. L. (Kensington, N.) | Law, Richard K. (Hull, S. W.) |
| Balniel, Lord | Dunglass, Lord | Leckie, J. A. |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Eales, John Frederick | Lees-Jones, John |
| Barrie, Sir Charles Coupar | Eden, Robert Anthony | Leighton, Major B. E. P. |
| Beauchamp, Sir Brograve Campbell | Edge, Sir William | Lennox-Boyd, A. T. |
| Beaumont, M. W. (Bucks., Aylesbury) | Elliot, Major Rt. Hon. Walter E. | Lewis, Oswald |
| Beaumont, Hon. R. E. B. (Portsm'th, C.) | Elliston, Captain George Sampson | Liddall, Walter S. |
| Beit, Sir Alfred L. | Elmley, Viscount | Lindsay, Noel Ker |
| Benn, Sir Arthur Shirley | Emrys-Evans, P. V. | Llewellin, Major John J. |
| Bevan, Stuart James (Holborn) | Entwistle, Cyril Fullard | Llewellyn-Jones, Frederick |
| Birchall, Major Sir John Dearman | Erskine, Lord (Weston-super-Mare) | Lloyd, Geoffrey |
| Bird, Sir Robert B. (Wolverh'pton W.) | Erskine-Bolst, Capt. C. C. (Blackpool) | Locker-Lampson, Rt. Hn. G.(Wd. Gr'n) |
| Blaker, Sir Reginald | Evans, R. T. (Carmarthen) | Loder, Captain J. de Vere |
| Blindell, James | Falle, Sir Bertram G. | Lovat-Fraser, James Alexander |
| Boothby, Robert John Graham | Fermoy, Lord | Lumley, Captain Lawrence R. |
| Borodale, Viscount | Fleming, Edward Lascelles | Lyons, Abraham Montagu |
| Bossom, A. C. | Flint, Abraham John | Mabane, William |
| Bower, Lieut.-Com. Robert Tatton | Foot, Dingle (Dundee) | MacAndrew, Maj. C. G. (Partick) |
| Bowyer, Capt. Sir George E. W. | Fox, Sir Gilford | MacAndrew, Capt. J. O. (Ayr) |
| Boyce, H. Leslie | Fremantle, Sir Francis | McCorquodale, M. S. |
| Boyd-Carpenter, Sir Archibald | Galbraith, James Francis Wallace | MacDonald, Rt. Hn. J. R. (Seaham) |
| Braithwaite, J. G. (Hillsborough) | Ganzoni, Sir John | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) |
| Briscoe, Capt. Richard George | Gault, Lieut.-Col. A. Hamilton | McEwen, Captain J. H. F. |
| Broadbent, Colonel John | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | McKie, John Hamilton |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Gledhill, Gilbert | McLean, Major Sir Alan |
| Brown, Ernest (Leith) | Glossop, C. W. H. | Macmillan, Maurice Harold |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Berks., Newb'y) | Glyn, Major Ralph G. C. | Maitland, Adam |
| Buchan, John | Goff, Sir Park | Makins, Brigadier-General Ernest |
| Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. | Goodman, Colonel Albert W. | Mander, Geoffrey le M. |
| Bullock, Captain Malcolm | Gower, Sir Robert | Manningham-Buller, Lt.-Col. Sir M. |
| Burgin, Dr. Edward Leslie | Granville, Edgar | Margesson, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. D. R. |
| Burnett, John George | Grattan-Doyle, Sir Nicholas | Martin, Thomas B. |
| Cadogan, Hon. Edward | Graves, Marjorie | Mayhew, Lieut.-Colonel John |
| Campbell, Edward Taswell (Bromley) | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John | Meller, Richard James |
| Campbell, Vice-Admiral G. (Burnley) | Grimston, R. V. | Merriman, Sir F. Boyd |
| Campbell-Johnston, Malcolm | Guinness, Thomas L. E. B. | Mills, Sir Frederick (Leyton, E.) |
| Caporn, Arthur Cecil | Guy, J. C. Morrison | Mills, Major J. D. (New Forest) |
| Carver, Major William H. | Hacking, Rt. Hon. Douglas H. | Mitchell, Harold P.(Br'tf'd & Chisw'k) |
| Cayzer, Sir Charles (Chester, City) | Hales, Harold K. | Molson, A. Hugh Eisdale |
| Cazalet, Thelma (Islington, E.) | Hamilton, Sir R. W.(Orkney & Zetl'nd) | Monsell, Rt. Hon. Sir B. Eyres |
| Cazalet, Capt. V. A. (Chippenham) | Hanbury, Cecil | Moore, Lt.-Col. Thomas C. R. (Ayr) |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. Sir J. A. (Birm., W) | Hanley, Dennis A. | Moore-Brabazon, Lieut.-Col. J. T. C. |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. N. (Edgbaston) | Hartington, Marquess of | Morgan, Robert H. |
| Chapman, Col. R. (Houghton-le-Spring) | Hartland, George A. | Morris, John Patrick (Salford, N.) |
| Chorlton, Alan Ernest Leofric | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Morris-Jones, Dr. J. H. (Denbigh) |
| Christie, James Archibald | Haslam, Sir John (Bolton) | Morrison, William Shephard |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer | Headlam, Lieut.-Col. Cuthbert M. | Moss, Captain H. J. |
| Clarke, Frank | Hellgers, Captain F. F. A. | Muirhead, Major A. J |
| Clarry, Reginald George | Henderson, Sir Vivian L. (Chelmsford) | Munro, Patrick |
| Clayton, Dr. George C. | Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. | Nail-Cain, Hon. Ronald |
| Cochrane, Commander Hon. A, D. | Hepworth, Joseph | Nation, Brigadier-General J. J. H. |
| Colville, Lieut.-Colonel J. | Holdsworth, Herbert | Newton, Sir Douglas George C. |
| Conant, R. J. E. | Hope, Capt. Hon. A. O. J. (Aston) | Nicholson, Godfrey (Morpeth) |
| Cook, Thomas A. | Hore-Belisha, Leslie | Nicholson, Rt. Hn. W. G. (Petersf'ld) |
| Cooke, Douglas | Hornby, Frank | O'Connor, Terence James |
| Cowan, D. M. | Horobin, Ian M. | Ormiston, Thomas |
| Craven-Ellis, William | Horsbrugh, Florence | Palmer, Francis Noel |
| Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. | Howitt, Dr. Alfred B. | Patrick, Colin M. |
| Crooke, J. Smedley | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) | Pearson, William G. |
| Crookshank, Capt. H. C. (Gainsb'ro) | Hudson, Robert Spear (Southport) | Percy, Lord Eustace |
| Cross, R. H. | Hunter, Dr. Joseph (Dumfries) | Peters, Dr. Sidney John |
| Crossley, A. C. | Hurd, Sir Percy | Petherick, M. |
| Culverwell, Cyril Tom | Hurst, Sir Gerald B. | Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) |
| Curry, A. C. | Hutchison, W. D. (Essex, Romf'd) | Peto, Geoffrey K. (W'verh'pt'n, Blist'n) |
| Pickford, Hon. Mary Ada | Salt, Edward W. | Sutcliffe, Harold |
| Pike, Cecil F. | Samuel, Sir Arthur Michael (F'nham) | Tate, Mavis Constance |
| Potter, John | Samuel, Rt. Hon, Sir H. (Darwen) | Thomas. Rt. Hon. J. H. (Derby) |
| Powell, Lieut.-Col. Evelyn G. H. | Sandeman, Sir A. N. Stewart | Thompson, Luke |
| Pownall, Sir Assheton | Scone, Lord | Todd, Capt. A. J. K. (B'wick-on-T.) |
| Pybus, Percy John | Shakespeare, Geoffrey H. | Touche, Gordon Cosmo |
| Raikes, Henry V. A. M. | Shaw, Helen B. (Lanark, Bothwell) | Turton, Robert Hugh |
| Ramsay, Capt. A. H. M. (Midlothian) | Shepperson, Sir Ernest W. | Wallace, Captain D. E. (Hornsey) |
| Ramsay, T. B. W. (Western Isles) | Sinclair, Maj. Rt. Hn. Sir A. (C'thness) | Ward, Lt.-Col. Sir A. L. (Hull) |
| Ramsbotham, Herwald | Sinclair, Col. T. (Queen's Unv., Belfast) | Ward, Irene Mary Bewick (Wallsend) |
| Ramsden, Sir Eugene | Skelton, Archibald Noel | Ward, Sarah Adelaide (Cannock) |
| Rankin, Robert | Slater, John | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Rathbone, Eleanor | Smith, Louis W. (Sheffield, Hallam) | Watt, Captain George Steven H. |
| Rea, Walter Russell | Smith, R. W.(Ab'rd'n & Kinc'dine, C.) | Wayland, Sir William A. |
| Reed, Arthur C. (Exeter) | Smith-Carington, Neville W. | Wedderburn, Henry James Scrymgeour- |
| Reid, Capt. A. Cunningham- | Smithers, Waldron | Wells, Sydney Richard |
| Reid, William Allan (Derby) | Somerville, Annesley A. (Windsor) | Weymouth, Viscount |
| Remer, John R. | Soper, Richard | Whiteside, Borras Noel H. |
| Renwick, Major Gustav A. | Southby, Commander Archibald R. J. | Whyte, Jardine Bell |
| Rhys, Hon. Charles Arthur U. | Spears, Brigadier-General Edward L. | Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay) |
| Roberts, Aled (Wrexham) | Spencer, Captain Richard A. | Williams, Herbert G. (Croydon, S.) |
| Roberts, Sir Samuel (Ecclesall) | Spender-Clay, Rt. Hon. Herbert H. | Wills, Wilfrid D. |
| Robinson. John Roland | Stanley, Lord (Lancaster, Fylde) | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Ropner, Colonel L. | Stanley, Hon. O. F. G. (Westmorland) | Wise, Alfred R. |
| Rosbotham, Sir Samuel | Stevenson, James | Womersley, Walter James |
| Ross Taylor, Walter (Woodbridge) | Stewart, J. H. (Fife, E.) | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir H. Kingsley |
| Rothschild, James A. de | Stones, James | Wood, Sir Murdoch McKenzie (Banff) |
| Ruggles-Brise, Colonel E. A. | Storey, Samuel | Worthington, Dr. John V. |
| Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter | Stourton, Hon. John J. | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton (S'v'noaks) |
| Runge, Norah Cecil | Strauss, Edward A. | Young, Ernest J. (Middlesbrough, E.) |
| Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) | Strickland, Captain W. F. | |
| Russell, Richard John (Eddisbury) | Stuart, Lord C. Crichton- | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Rutherford, Sir John Hugo (Liverp'l) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray F. | Sir Frederick Thomson and Sir |
| Victor Warrender. | ||
| NOES. | ||
| Adams, D. M. (Poplar, South) | Greenwood, Rt. Hon. Arthur | Mainwaring, William Henry |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Grenfell, David Reel (Glamorgan) | Maxton, James |
| Banfield, John William | Grundy, Thomas W. | Nathan, Major H. L. |
| Batey, Joseph | Hall, F. (York, W.R., Normanton) | Parkinson, John Allen |
| Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) | Hall, George H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Price, Gabriel |
| Brown, C. W. E. (Notts., Mansfield) | Hicks, Ernest George | Thorne, William James |
| Cape, Thomas | Hirst, George Henry | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Cocks, Frederick Seymour | Jenkins, Sir William | Wallhead, Richard C. |
| Cove, William G. | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Cripps, Sir Stafford | Kirkwood, David | Williams, Edward John (Ogmore) |
| Daggar, George | Lansbury, Rt. Hon. George | Williams, Dr. John H. (Llanelly) |
| Davies, David L. (Pontypridd) | Lawson, John James | Williams, Thomas (York, Don Valley) |
| Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Logan, David Gilbert | |
| Edwards, Charles | Lunn, William | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) | McGovern, John | Mr. Groves and Mr. John. |
| Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) |
Question put, and agreed to.