§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask the Prime Minister what business it is proposed to take next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMonday, Unemployment Bill, Third Reading (Allotted Day).
Tuesday, Supply, Committee (5th Allotted Day), Department of Mines Vote.
Wednesday, Finance Bill, Second Reading.
Thursday, Cotton Manufacturing Industry (Temporary Provisions) Bill, Second Reading; Mines (Working Facilities) Bill (Lords), Second Reading.
Friday, Adjournment Motion for the Whitsuntide Recess until Tuesday, 29th May.
On any day if there is time other Orders may be taken. During the week we shall have consider any Amendments to the Water Supplies (Exceptional Shortage Orders) Bill, which may be received from another place, and any outstanding Motions to approve Import Duties Orders.
§ Mr. MAXTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman propose to complete the Second Reading Debate on the Finance Bill in one day?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is so.
§ Mr. MAXTONSurely that is a very short time to allot to the Second Reading of a Measure which is of such importance in the year's work of the House of Commons. The Budget Debates already have been considerably shortened as compared with previous years, and many Members were precluded from offering their views on the Budget statement or the Budget Resolutions. Surely it is not proposed to confine the Second Reading Debate on the Finance Bill to one day?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is the usual procedure unless there is something special in the Finance Bill. I think for this Bill one day is sufficient and that that arrangement will meet the general convenience.
§ Sir P. HARRISWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind, however, that the Finance Bill on this occasion proposes to abolish the Land Tax; that that proposal has not been referred to, either in the Budget statement or in the Budget Resolutions and that the Second Reading of the Finance Bill provides the first opportunity which we shall have of discussing this new departure of policy on the part of the National Government?
§ Mr. H. WILLIAMSCan the right hon. Gentleman say when the Committee stage of the Finance Bill will be taken?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI could not say at the moment.
§ Mr. MAXTONShould the Government find, in the course of the Debate on Wednesday, that the Division on the Second Reading cannot be taken at Eleven o'Clock, is it proposed to ask the House to sit late?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI do not think it will be necessary. The Government have to arrange the business and it is necessary that we should get this, but I think the programme which I have read out will suit the convenience of hon. Members on both sides of the House.
§ Mr. MAXTONDoes that mean that the Second Reading of the Finance Bill is to be obtained on Wednesday, even if 1264 the House has to sit into the early hours of the following morning? May I ask what is the hurry?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hurry is to get the business through in the ordinary way under the ordinary conditions. The business which I have announced, I can assure my hon. Friend, shows no departure from past experience, and I do not think anything new will arise on Wednesday which will compel the House to sit inordinately late.
§ Mr. TINKERIn the event of ex-Cabinet Ministers and other big speakers taking up the best part of the time on Wednesday, will the right hon. Gentleman consider giving another day? One finds on these big occasions that they all turn up and for some reason or another they get preference with the result that up to nine o'clock we have nothing but the big men speaking, and the others have to take their chance afterwards.
§ Mr. MANDERWill not the Prime Minister himself require a considerable time in which to explain his surrender to the Conservative party over the Land Taxes?