§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask the Prime Minister the business for next week; and also to state how far it is proposed to go to-day in the event of the Motion for the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule being carried?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIf I may, I will answer the second question first. The Eleven o'Clock Rule is being suspended in order to obtain the Committee stage of the Newfoundland Bill and the Committee stage of the amended Unemployment Money Resolution. I venture to remind the House that a similar Money Resolution was very fully discussed on Monday and, for that reason, I hope that the amended Resolution will not require any long Debate to-day. It is also proposed to consider Motions approving the Potatoes and Hops Marketing Schemes, which are exempted business.
As regards the business for next week, it is proposed to take the following:
Monday: Newfoundland Bill, concluding stages. Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Bill, Second Reading; Unemployment Money Resolution, Report stage.
Tuesday: Motion to set up a time-table for the consideration of the remaining stages of the Unemployment Bill. Afterwards, if there is time, the Unemployment Bill will be considered in Committee.
Wednesday: Private Members' Motions.
It is proposed to take the Motion for the Christmas Adjournment on Thursday, 21st December, and the Adjournment will be until Monday, 29th January, 1934.
On any day, if there is time, other Orders may be taken.
§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I call the attention of the right hon. Gentleman to the large number of Amendments which are down for the Newfoundland Bill and also to the likelihood of considerable debate on the Unemployment Money Resolution and ask him whether it will not involve a very late sitting to-night if, in addition to those Orders, we are to take the Motions on the two Marketing Schemes. Would it not be possible to take those Motions on Tuesday of next week instead of trying to start the Committee stage of the Unemployment Bill on that day? If we start the Committee Stage on that 548 day, there will be a considerable break during the Christmas holiday before it can be resumed, and it will not be possible to make any considerable progress with the Bill on Tuesday.
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe must get the first two Orders which I have announced for to-day. The others will be subject to the course of business. We have no intention of asking the House to sit unreasonably late, but, as I have said, we must get the first two Orders. The business for Tuesday next could be arranged. If the Unemployment Bill goes into Committee before the Adjournment on Tuesday, then the discussion in Committee on that day would not, I understand, come under the time-table but would be in the nature of an extra opportunity for hon. Members.
§ Mr. MAXTONCan the Prime Minister tell the House why it is proposed to set up a time-table on the Unemployment Bill? There has been no delay in this matter except the delay caused by the Chancellor of the Exchequer having estimated wrongly the desires of the local authorities. Presumably, the time-table is not being imposed because there is any danger that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will obstruct the Measure. Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us, therefore, why the Government propose to impose a time-table when there has been no undue delay, and why they make this proposal before we have entered on the Committee stage of the Bill?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs far as the Government are concerned it is not their intention to impose this time-table as a punishment. They propose to do so in the interests of business. It would be perfectly absurd if we were to give two or three days for a sort of trial run in Committee, and the hon. Member knows quite as well as we know that some resort will have to be made to an arrangement by which the Bill as a whole can be properly discussed. As I have already explained, the Government think it better to begin in a businesslike way with the discussion of this Bill in Committee and that is why they propose to set up this time-table preparatory to the Committee stage.
§ Sir PERCY HARRISIf it is necessary to have a time-table imposed on the House, will not some effort be made to make arrangements so that it will be an agreed time-table?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs a matter of fact, hon. Members know quite well that these time-tables are only made up after consultation. It has been considered time and time again, and by myself more than once, whether it would not be possible to get some sort of independent authority to set up these timetables, but the Government have always been perfectly accommodating and quite fair in their allocation of time, and we are proposing to do this one again in the old way.
Captain CROOKSHANKDid not the right hon. Gentleman's experience of time-tables on the Finance Bill, when he was Prime Minister before, indicate that they acted very unfairly to both the Opposition and the supporters of the Government? We had many occasions when we were in Opposition trying to get replies from Ministers who merely stayed outside and refused to give answers. On the other hand, a great number of supporters of the Government, as hon. Members below the Gangway will remember, frequently wanted to make their contributions to the Debate and were unable to do so. Would it not be much more satisfactory to start this Bill in the ordinary way and see how we get along, instead of imposing a time-table from the outset?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy hon. and gallant Friend is a master of all methods of procedure, and he will remember that perhaps the most unsatisfactory way of doing business is one form or another of closure by compartments, and that in a long Bill like this that remedy would have ultimately to be resorted to. There is no method, perhaps, which is perfectly satisfactory, but on the whole every Government which has tried to run a big Bill through the House has come to the conclusion that in present circumstances the fairest method is a time-table of
§ which full notice has been given and about which negotiation has taken place.
§ Mr. BUCHANANIn view of the fact that possibly no Bill entails so much human consideration in every line of it as this Bill, would the right hon. Gentleman not reconsider the matter, even if it meant bringing the House back a little earlier? Does he not see that on a timetable the Government may allocate the time, but the House of Commons has to discuss it, and frequently the Government give a reason which they and the House do not consider in the same light? In view of the fact also that he has had no evidence of undue delay, could he not reconsider the matter in the light of these circumstances?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think the point which my hon. Friend raises is as to how the compartments should be arranged, and I should be very glad if he would address me on that subject on Tuesday, when I shall move the timetable.
§ Mr. LAWSONIs not the real reason for this time-table the fact that the Government want as little discussion as possible?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am rather surprised that the hon. Member makes that suggestion, as he himself was party to a similar decision on the part of the Government of which he was a member.
§ Mr. LAWSONCannot the right hon. Gentleman rely upon his huge majority and give a little fair play to a small Opposition?
§
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, 262; Noes, 47.
553| Division No. 24.] | AYES. | [3.55 p.m. |
| Adams, Samuel Vyvyan T. (Leeds, W.) | Beaumont, Hon. R.E.B. (Portsm'th, C.) | Broadbent, Colonel John |
| Agnew, Lieut.-Com. P. G. | Benn, Sir Arthur Shirley | Brocklebank, C E. R. |
| Albery, Irving James | Bennett, Capt. Sir Ernest Nathaniel | Brown, Ernest (Leith) |
| Allen, Lt.-Col. J. Sandeman (B'k'nh'd) | Bernays, Robert | Brown, Brig.-G en. H.C. (Berks., Newb'y) |
| Allen. Lt.-Col. Sir William (Armagh) | Betterton. Rt. Hon. Sir Henry B. | Browne, Captain A. C. |
| Anstruther-Gray, W. J. | Birchall, Major Sir John Dearman | Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. |
| Aske, Sir Robert William | Blindell. James | Burghley, Lord |
| Astor. Maj. Hn. John J. (Kent, Dover) | Borodale, Viscount | Burgin, Dr. Edward Leslie |
| Astor, Viscountess (Plymouth, Sutton) | Boulton. W. W. | Burnett, John George |
| Baillie. Sir Adrian W. M. | Bower, Lieut.-Com. Robert Tatton | Butler, Richard Austen |
| Baldwin. Rt Hon. Stanley | Bowyer, Capt. Sir George E. W. | Cadogan, Hon. Edward |
| Barton. Capt. Basil Kelsey | Boyce, H. Leslie | Calne. G. R. Hall- |
| Beauchamp, Sir Brograve Campbell | Briscoe, Capt. Richard George | Campbell, Sir Edward Taswell (Brmly) |
| Caporn, Arthur Cecil | Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur P. | Ramsay, Alexander (W. Bromwich) |
| Carver, Major William H. | Hills, Major Rt. Hon. John Waller | Ramsay, T. B. W. (Western Isles) |
| Cayzer, Maj. Sir H. R. (Prtsmth., S.) | Holdsworth. Herbert | Ramsbotham, Herwald |
| Cazalet, Thelma (Islington, E.) | Hope, Capt. Hon. A. O. J. (Aston) | Ray, Sir William |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. Sir J. A. (Birm., W) | Hornby, Frank | Reid, Capt. A, Cunningham- |
| Chamberlain. Rt. Hon. N. (Edgbaston) | Howard, Tom Forrest | Reid, David D. (County Down) |
| Chapman, Col. R. (Houghton-le-Spring) | Howitt, Dr. Alfred B. | Reid, James S. C. (Stirling) |
| Chapman, Sir Samuel (Edinburgh, S.) | Hudson, Cant. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.) | Rhys, Hon. Charles Arthur U. |
| Cheriton, Alan Ernest Leofric | Hudson, Robert Spear (Southport) | Rickards, George William |
| Christle, James Archibald | Hunter, Dr. Joseph (Dumfries) | Robinson. John Roland |
| Clarry, Reginald George | Hurd, Sir Percy | Rosbotham, Sir Thomas |
| Cobb, Sir Cyril | Hurst, Sir Gerald B. | Ross, Ronald D. |
| Collins, Rt. Hon. Sir Godfrey | Iveagh, Countess of | Rose Taylor, Walter (Woodbridge) |
| Colman, N. C. D. | Jackson, Sir Henry (Wandsworth, C.) | Runge, Norah Cecil |
| Colville, Lieut.-Colonel J. | Jackson, J. C. (Heywood & Radcliffe) | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) |
| Conant, R. J. E. | James, Wing-Com. A. W. H. | Salmon, Sir Isidore |
| Cook, Thomas A. | Jamieson, Douglas | Samuel, Sir Arthur Michael (F'nham) |
| Cooke, Douglas | Joel, Dudley J. Barnato | Sandeman, Sir A. N. Stewart |
| Cooper, A. Duff | Jones, Lewis (Swansea, West) | Sanderson. Sir Frank Barnard |
| Cranberne, Viscount | Ker, J. Campbell | Sassoon, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip A. G. D. |
| Crooke, J. Smedley | Kerr, Hamilton W. | Scone, Lord |
| Crookshank, Col. C. de Windt (Bootle) | Knight. Holford | Shakespeare, Geoffrey H. |
| Crookshank, Capt. H. C. (Gainsb'ro) | Knox, Sir Alfred | Shaw, Helen B. (Lanark, Bothwell) |
| Cross, R. H. | Lamb, Sir Joseph Quinton | Shepperson, Sir Ernest W. |
| Crossley, A. C. | Law, Richard K. (Hull, S. W.) | Skelton, Archibald Noel |
| Cruddas, Lieut-Colonel Bernard | Leech, Dr. J. w. | Smith, Bracewell (Dulwich) |
| Culverwell, Cyril Tom | Leighton, Major B. E. P. | Smith, Sir J. Walker- (Barrow-In-F.) |
| Davies, Mal. Geo, F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Levy, Thomas | Smithers, Waldron |
| Davison, Sir William Henry | Lindsay, Kenneth Martin (Kilm'rnock) | Somervell, Sir Donald |
| Denman, Hon. R. D. | Lindsay, Noel Ker | Somerville. Annesley A. (Windsor) |
| Despencer-Robertson, Major J. A. F. | Lister, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Cunliffe- | Southby, Commander Archibald R. J. |
| Doran, Edward | Llewellin, Major John J. | Spencer, Captain Richard A. |
| Drewe, Cedric | Lloyd, Geoffrey | Spender-Clay, Rt. Hon. Herbert H. |
| Dugdale, Captain Thomas Lionel | Locker-Lampson, Rt. Hn. G. (Wd. G'n) | Stanley, Lord (Lancaster, Fylde) |
| Duggan, Hubert John | Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (H'ndsw'th) | Storey, Samuel |
| Duncan, James A. L. (Kensington, N.) | Lovat-Fraser, James Alexander | Stourton, Hon. John J. |
| Dunglass, Lord | Lumley, Captain Lawrence R. | Strauss, Edward A. |
| Eastwood, John Francis | MacAndrew, Lieut.-Col. C. G. (Partick) | Stuart, Lord C. Crichton- |
| Eden, Robert Anthony | MacAndrew, Capt. J. O. (Ayr) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray F. |
| Edge, Sir William | Mac Donald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Seaham) | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid Hart |
| Edmondson, Major A. J. | MacDonald, Malcolm (Bassetlaw) | Summersby, Charles H. |
| Elliston, Captain George Sampton | McEwen, Captain J. H. F. | Sutcliffe, Harold |
| Elmley, Viscount | McKeag, William | Tate, Mavis Constance |
| Emmott, Charles E. G. C. | McKie, John Hamilton | Taylor, Vice-Admiral E. A. (P'dd'gt'n, S.) |
| Emrys-Evans, P. V. | Maclay, Hon. Joseph Paton | Thomas. Rt. Hon. J. H. (Derby) |
| Entwistle, Cyril Fullard | McLean, Major Sir Alan | Thomas, James P. L. (Hereford) |
| Falle, Sir Bertram G. | McLean, Dr. W. H. (Tradeston) | Thompson, Luke |
| Fielden, Edward Brocklehurst | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. Sir Ian | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Fleming, Edward Lascelles | Magnay, Thomas | Todd, Capt. A. J. K. (B'wick-on-T.) |
| Fraser, Captain Ian | Makins, Brigadier-General Ernest | Todd, A. L. S. (Kingswinford) |
| Fremantle, Sir Francis | Margesson, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. D. R. | Touche, Gordon Cosmo |
| Fuller, Captain A. G. | Marsden, Commander Arthur | Train, John |
| Galbraith, James Francis Wallace | Mayhew, Lieut.-Colonel John | Tree, Ronald |
| Ganzoni, Sir John | Meller, Sir Richard James | Wallace, Captain D. E. (Hornsey) |
| Gauit, Lieut.-Col. A. Hamilton | Mills, Sir Frederick (Leyton, E.) | Ward, Lt.-Col. Sir A. L. (Hull) |
| Gibson, Charles Granville | Mills, Major J. D. (New Forest) | Ward. Irene Mary 8ewlck (Wallsend) |
| Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Mitchell, Harold P. (Br'tf'd a Chisw'k) | Wardlaw-Milne, Sir John S. |
| Glossop, C. W. H. | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) | Warrender, Sir Victor A. G. |
| Glyn, Major Ralph G. C. | Mitcheson, G. G. | Waterhouse, Captain Charles |
| Goodman, Colonel Albert W. | Molson, A. Hugh Elsdale | Watt. Captain George Steven H. |
| Graham, Sir F. Fergus (C'mb'rld, N.) | Monsell, Rt. Hon. Sir B. Eyres | Wedderburn, Henry James Scrymgeour- |
| Grattan-Doyle, Sir Nicholas | Moore, Lt.-Col. Thomas C. R. (Ayr) | Weymouth, Viscount |
| Graves, Marjorie | Morris, John Patrick (Salford, N.) | Whyte, Jardine Bell |
| Grimston, R. V. | Munro, Patrick | Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay) |
| Guinness, Thomas L. E. B. | Nation, Brigadier-General J. J. H. | Williams, Herbert G. (Croydon, S.) |
| Guy, J. C. Morrison | Nicholson, Godfrey (Morpeth) | Wills. Wilfrid D. |
| Hacking. Rt. Hon. Douglas H. | Nicholson, Rt. Hn. W. G. (Petersf'ld) | Wilson, Lt.-Col. Sir Arnold (Hertf'd) |
| Hamilton, Sir George (Ilford) | Ormsby-Gore. Rt. Hon. William G. A. | Wilson, Clyde T. (West Toxteth) |
| Hanley, Dennis A. | Petherick, M. | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Harbord, Arthur | Pickford, Hon. Mary Ada | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton (S'v'noaks) |
| Hartington, Marquess of | Pike, Cecil F. | |
| Hartland, George A. | Powell. Lieut.-Col. Evelyn G. H. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Harvey, George (Lambeth, Kenningt'n) | Pownall, Sir Assheton | Sir Frederick Thomson and Sir George Penny. |
| Headlam, Lieut.-Col. Cuthbert M. | Pybus, Percy John | |
| Henderson, Sir Vivian L. (Chelmsford) | Raikes, Henry V. A. M. | |
| NOES. | ||
| Adams, D. M. (Poplar, South) | Buchanan, George | Davies, David L. (Pontypridd) |
| Attlee, Clement Richard | Cape, Thomas | Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) |
| Banfield, John William | Cove, William G. | Edwards, Charles |
| Batey, Joseph | Cripps, Sir Stafford | George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) |
| Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) | Curry, A. C. | Grithffis, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) |
| Brown, C. W. E. (Notts., Mansfield) | Daggar, George | Grundy, Thomas W. |
| Hall, George H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Mainwaring, William Henry | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Josiah |
| Hamilton, Sir R. W. (Orkney & Zetl'nd) | Mender, Geoffrey le M. | White, Henry Graham |
| Harris, Sir Percy | Mason, David M. (Edinburgh, E.) | Williams, Edward John (Ogmore) |
| Jenkins, Sir William | Maxton, James | Williams, Dr. John H. (Llanelly) |
| John, William | Owen, Major Goronwy | Williams, Thomas (York., Don Valley) |
| Johnstone, Harcourt (S. Shields) | Parkinson, John Allen | Wood, Sir Murdoch McKenzie (Band) |
| Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Res, Walter Russell | Young, Ernest J. (Middlesbrough, E.) |
| Lawson, John James | Samuel, Rt. Hon. sir H. (Darwen) | |
| Logan, David Gilbert | Thorne, William James | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| McEntee, Valentine L. | Tinker, John Joseph | Mr. G. Macdonald and Mr. Groves. |
| Maclean, Nell (Glasgow, Govan) | Wallhead, Richard C. |