§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Captain Margesson.]
294§ 10.30 p.m.
§ Mr. BUCHANANI would like to ask the Patronage Secretary a question about business on Friday. Is it the intention to continue the discussion on the Unemployment Insurance (Expiring Enactments) Bill for the whole time on Friday, and is it the intention to take the Financial Resolution that day?
§ 10.31p.m.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Captain Margesson)An announcement was made at Question Time to-day about business to the effect that extra time would be given for the Second Reading of this Bill. It was agreed, through the usual channels, that the Second Reading and the Financial Resolution should be concluded by the end of Friday's sitting.
§ Mr. MAXTONI never heard of any such arrangement. It is treating the House and the subject of the unemployed generally with scant courtesy to take two stages of an important Measure of this description in less than 1½ days, particularly when one of those days is a Friday when, as the right hon. and gallant Gentleman knows, the attendance of the House and the attention to business is not on a par with that of other days.
§ Captain MARGESSONI have always taken pains to consult all the channels which can be called usual, but I do not think that the hon. Gentleman and his Chief Whip were in the House yesterday. In any case, the time allotted by the Government for the Second Reading of the Bill and the Financial Resolution was one full day, and it was only on representations made to me by the Opposition that extra time should be given that I found it possible to accede to their request to give an extra half-day. I do not think that the House is under any misapprehension on the subject, nor has it any complaint against the Government.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Adjourned accordingly at Twenty-seven Minutes before Eleven o'clock.