§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the Prime Minister what the business is to be for next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMonday: Committee stage of a Ways and Means Resolution relating to Co-operative and other trading bodies.
Tuesday: Second Reading of the Metropolitan Police Bill, and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
Wednesday and Thursday: Committee stage of the Finance Bill.
The Government business to be taken on Friday will be announced later.
On any day, if there is time, other Orders may be taken.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will not reconsider the business for Tuesday? The Metropolitan Police Bill was only available yesterday, I think, and there is very little time for its consideration. Very considerable public interest has been aroused by the Report of the Commissioner and the White Paper which was published, and seeing that there is that public interest, will he not allow another week's consideration of the Bill before we are called upon to discuss it, seeing that there really cannot be any very great urgency for the Bill—no urgency at all, in fact? A further point is that the Opposition would very much like a Supply Day next week in order to raise very urgent questions connected with foreign affairs. That being the case, we should like him, if he will, to make Tuesday a Supply Day instead of putting down the Metropolitan Police Bill for that day.
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs regards the Metropolitan Police Bill, it is very desirable that it should have a Second Reading soon. The White Paper explaining the scheme has been in the hands of Members for some time The Bill itself was issued last night, I think. I am not 530 sure whether it was in the hands of Members last night, but it was issued last night, and was certainly in the hands of Members this morning. The Second Reading will be the opportunity for a Debate upon the general principles of the scheme—upon the scheme as a scheme; details will come up when the Committee stage is reached. We think it is very desirable, before there is any chance of misunderstandings and that sort of thing spreading, that the Government should be able to explain to the House what the Bill is and meet the opposition to the Bill on the Second Reading. Therefore, I think I must adhere to Tuesday for the Metropolitan Police Bill. As regards a discussion on Foreign Affairs, I do not know whether that, might be considered through the usual channels. It is very desirable that we should have the Committee stage of the Finance Bill as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. LANSBURYBut there really is no hurry about the Finance Bill. There is plenty of time for it. The right hon. Gentleman knows that as well as I do. We are extremely anxious to discuss disarmament and also the question that was raised at Question Time concerning the World Economic Conference. We certainly are not going to agree—the Majority may, but we certainly are not— that that Conference should be entered upon by His Majesty's Government without the House having an opportunity of discussing in a more concrete form what it is the Government are going to put before that Conference. As to the Metropolitan Police Bill, the right hon. Gentleman has made my point. He says it is desirable to get the Second Reading through before there is time for discussion out in the country. [HON. MEMBERS: "No!"] Well, the point the right hon. Gentleman made was that we should take it before there could be further discussion or misunderstandings. We think that the public ought to have a longer opportunity of thinking about this revolution in police procedure, and be able to communicate to their Members in this House what their views are on the subject. I know that we are a very small Opposition, and the Government have got into the habit of bringing Bills forward and just pushing them through with very little time indeed. The Russian Embargo Bill was a case in point, and so 531 was the Exchange Equalisation Account Bill. Now we get this Bill, for which there is not the least hurry at all. No one can say there is any hurry for this Bill except those who want to prevent public discussion.
§ The PRIME MINISTERWhatever the right hon. Gentleman may say in the country, I hope that in the House of Commons he will quote me accurately, both as regards my words and also what is in my mind.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI cannot know what is in your mind.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI stated quite specifically that a White Paper setting forth the scheme has been in the hands of Members of the House and before the country as a whole for some little time, and that I think it is very desirable, if the country is going to discuss the matter further, that a Debate should take place in this House without delay. The Second Reading Debate on a Bill does not dispose of it. The Debate will enable the Government to meet the criticism of those who are opposed to the Bill, and in the public interest, and in the interests of this House, the sooner that Debate takes place, within reason—and surely the reason is established—the better. Therefore, we have decided that Tuesday shall be the day when the Second Reading of the Bill is to be debated.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI have no intention of prolonging this matter, because obviously the right hon. Gentleman has it in his power to say to the Opposition, "This shall be done," and there is an end of it. We have made our protest against it. If you will allow me, Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct the right hon. Gentleman on one point. I shall never be guilty of saying in the country anything about him or what he says that I will not say here straight across the Table.
§ Mr. MAXTONMay I ask the Prime Minister if he proposes that the Committee stage of the Financial Resolution dealing with proposals for taxation of co-operatives is to be completed in one day?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes; it is the Financial Resolution.
§ Mr. MAXTONBut I am just a little unclear about what the procedure will be. The method by which this taxation is to be imposed is somewhat unusual. I want to secure that the House of Commons shall have a very full opportunity of discussing the whole question. There is very general interest in it in all parts of the House, and I am quite sure that opinion on it is not running purely on party lines, and, if this Committee stage is the effective stage in the application of the tax, then I would urge that some longer time than one day be given to it.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI understood from the Patronage Secretary that we were to have one clear day now and that when the Financial Resolution is added to the Bill he would arrange that there was another clear day for that Resolution, and we would like to have that confirmed.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think that my hon. Friend may have forgotten for a moment that a Financial Resolution is a preparation put forward either for a Clause or for a Bill, in this case for a Clause which cannot be added to the Finance Bill until the Financial Resolution has gone through its two stages, which will give a further day for discussion of this subject.
§ Mr. MAXTONThat is not what I have forgotten. What I want to provide for, if I can, is that the effective Debate on this subject shall have taken place before the House gives a decision which settles the matter for good and all. When the Financial Resolution is passed, the effective decisions have been taken. Surely it cannot matter to the Government from the point of view of time, if they are prepared to give two days, whether the two days are given on the Financial Resolution or on the subsequent Clause that is inserted in the Finance Bill. Therefore, I am asking the right hon. Gentleman whether the Patronage Secretary cannot arrange that we should have two days on the Financial Resolution rather than one day then and another day later on.
§ The PRIME MINISTERClearly, from the point of view of business, it is quite impossible to give two days to the Financial Resolution and then to have the Clause passed on a subsequent day. The Debate on the Clause, when it comes before the Committee, will be just as effective as the Debate on the Financial 533 Resolution. Do believe me that it is purely a matter of House of Commons procedure. The Division, which will take place upon whether the Clause, whatever number it is, shall stand part of the Bill, will be just as effective, and there will be just as healthy an attitude, as in the Division on the Financial Resolution.
§ Mr. MAXTONI want to ensure that we take a Division before the Clause is introduced.
§ Mr. ROBINSONCan the Prime Minister give any indication of when the House will have an opportunity of discussing the new trade agreements with Norway and Sweden?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am afraid that I cannot give that information without notice of the question.
§
Ordered,
That the Proceedings on any Private Business set down for consideration at half-past Seven of the clock this evening, by direction of the Chairman of Ways and Means, may, notwithstanding anything in Standing Order No. 8, be taken after half-past Nine of the clock."—[The Prime Minister.]