HC Deb 27 July 1933 vol 280 cc2783-5
Mr. LANSBURY

Will the Lord President of the Council say what the business will be when we come back.

Mr. BALDWIN

On Tuesday, 7th November, the Second Reading of the Expiring Laws Continuance (No. 2) Bill, Firearms and Imitation Firearms (Criminal Use) Bill [Lords], British Nationality and Status of Aliens Bill [Lords], and Local Government Bill [Lords].

Wednesday, 8th November: Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, Second Reading, and Expiring Laws Bill, Committee and Third Reading.

Thursday, 9th November: Remaining stages of the Firearms and Imitation Firearms (Criminal Use) Bill [Lords], British Nationality and Status of Aliens Bill [Lords], and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill.

Friday, 10th November Remaining stages of the Local Government Bill [Lords].

On any day, if there is time, other Orders may be taken.

Mr. LANSBURY

I am afraid this looks like an imposing window-dressing programme, but I suppose it is not as difficult as it looks. I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman if it will he possible to introduce the new Unemployment Insurance Bill in dummy form tomorrow so that it may be printed and circulated during the Recess.

Mr. BALDWIN

It is proposed to give notice of presentation of the Unemployment Insurance Bill on the day we reassemble, on 7th November, so that it can be in the hands of Members on or immediately after that date. It is the intention of the Government to bring the present Session to a close and begin a new Session as soon as practicable after 7th November. The Second Reading will take place at the beginning of the new Session, when the Bill will be re-presented. This arrangement will, it is hoped, meet the convenience of the House and enable the Bill to be in the hands of Members in ample time for its consideration. As a matter of fact, it will be in their hands some three to four weeks before the Debate. It is not yet drafted. The drafting will proceed through the holidays. It is a very complicated Bill and the drafting of it will be no easy task. It will not be ready in draft for its final examination until a comparatively short time before the House is to sit, and I fear that what the right hon. Gentleman asks is impracticable.

Mr. LANSBURY

There will be an opportunity to raise this again, but, as the Bill is so important and is such a very big Measure, we may have to ask for more than three or four weeks to consider it, because most Members will want to understand it from beginning to end before we come to debate it.

Mr. BALDWIN

Of course, it is always open to the right hon. Gentleman to put these questions when he has had time to consider them. He will see the Bill on or immediately after 7th November, and I think he will find that, for the purpose of Second Reading and the beginning of its consideration, three to four weeks will be ample time.

Ordered, That other Government Business have precedence this day of the Business of Supply, and that the Proceedings on Government Business be exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House)." —[Mr. Baldwin.]