§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask the Prime Minister whether he will say what the business will be for next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMonday, 16th December: Second Reading, Unemployment Assistance (Temporary Provisions) Bill; Second Reading, Government of India (Reprinting) Bill; Committee stage, Railways (Agreement) Bill; concluding stages, Public Works Loans Bill; Committee stage, Pensions (Governors of Dominions, etc.) Money Resolution; and consideration of Import Duties Orders Nos. 31 and 35, and of the Irish Free State (Special Duties) Order.
Tuesday: Third Reading, Railways (Agreement) Bill; concluding stages, Government of India (Reprinting) Bill; Second Reading, Employment of Women and Young Persons Bill; Amendments to the Pigs Marketing Scheme; Commitee stage, Unemployment Assistance (Temporary Provisions) Bill.
Wednesday, Private Members' Motions.
The business for Thursday will be announced later, and on any day, if there is time, other Orders may be taken.
If all the necessary Government business has been disposed of, we hope to take the Motion for the Christmas Adjournment on Friday, 20th December.
§ Mr. ATTLEEWill Thursday be available for the Debate on the foreign situation which the right hon. Gentleman said may be given before the House rises?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWe shall be perfectly prepared to consider that. I will give no definite pledge at the moment, but we have that in mind, and I have not as yet announced any business for Thursday.
§ Mr. ATTLEEWill papers be available before that date?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will certainly see what papers, if any, can be made available, but I cannot say without notice what papers may be. I do not know, but I will do the best I can.
§ Mr. ATTLEEIs it possible for the right hon. Gentleman, for the convenience of the House, to tell us now on what date it is proposed to return after the Christmas Recess?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo; I will make an announcement next week, but I am afraid I could not say to-day.
§ Mr. BUCHANANIn view of the fact that the Debate on the Motion for the Adjournment is likely to be taken up with foreign affairs, will the right hon. Gentleman consider, in the limited time at his disposal, giving the House some chance to debate the present state of the law with regard to the administration of transitional benefit, in view of the fact that there is great feeling about the departure from the stand-still arrangement and other arrangements now applied to the unemployed? Will he not consider giving some time to discuss what is admitted to have been discussed insufficiently already, namely, the whole question of the administration of transitional benefit?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am sure the hon. Member and the House will realise how little time there has been before Christmas, and how the time is necessarily interfered with by matters of such very first-rate importance as the one that has been raised by the Leader of the Opposition. There will, of course, be time for such a discussion as the hon. Member desires on the Motion for the Adjournment. There will be ample time for discussion then, but I could not hold out any hope that on the three days left there would be time.
§ Mr. MAXTONDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that he has just announced that we shall be rising on the 20th instant, and that it would be possible for this House to get up the day before Christmas? He has another two days at his disposal before Christmas, therefore, and will he consider bringing the House back on the 23rd and 24th December so that other things that ought 1117 to be ventilated before we go for our Christmas holidays shall have an opportunity of being ventilated?
§ The PRIME MINISTERChristmas is a movable feast according to the day of the week on which it comes. When Christmas comes in the middle of the week, I think His Majesty's faithful Commons may share with many of His Majesty's other subjects certain advantages that accrue from that fact.
§ Mr. TINKERIn view of what might happen on Wednesday next, when the miners meet, will the right hon. Gentle-
§ man agree not to make the proposed Adjournment on Friday definite?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROf course, we shall have regard to all these matters. I should like to give expression to my own opinion, which is that I trust that it will not be necessary to make any change.
§
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, 231; Noes, 117.
1119| Division No. 10.] | AYES. | [3.50 p.m. |
| Agnew, Lieut.-Comdr. P. G. | Crowder, J. F. E. | Hope, Captain Hon. A. O. J. |
| Allen, Lt.-Col. J. Sandeman (B'kn'hd) | Davies, Major G. F. (Yeovil) | Hopkinson, A. |
| Anderson, Sir A. Garrett (C. of Ldn.) | Davison, Sir W. H. | Horsbrugh, Florence |
| Apsley, Lord | Denman, Hon. R. D. | Howitt, Dr. A. B. |
| Aske, Sir R. W. | Denville, A. | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hack., N.) |
| Assheton, R. | Despencer-Robertson, Major J. A. F. | Hume, Sir G. H. |
| Astor, Han. W. W. (Fulham, E.) | Dorman-Smith, Major R. H. | James, Wing-Commander A. W. |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Dower, Capt. A. V. G. | Joel, D. J. B. |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Duckworth, W. R. (Moss Side) | Kerr, H. W. (Oldham) |
| Barrie, Sir C. C. | Dugdale, Major T. L. | Knox, Major-General Sir A. W. F. |
| Baxter, A. Beverley | Duggan, H. J. | Law, R. K. (Hull, S. W.) |
| Beauchamp, Sir B. C. | Duncan, J. A. L. | Leckie, J. A. |
| Beaumont, Hon. R. E. B. (Portsm'n) | Dunglass, Lord | Leech, Dr. J. W. |
| Beit, Sir A. L. | Dunne, P. R. R. | Lees-Jones, J. |
| Bernays, R. H. | De la Bère, R. | Leighton, Major B. E. P. |
| Birchall, Sir J. D. | Eckersley, P. T. | Lennox-Boyd, A. T. L. |
| Blair, Sir R. | Edge, Sir W. | Levy, T. |
| Blindall, J. | Elliot, Rt. Hon. W. E. | Llewellin, Lieut.-Col. J. J. |
| Boothby, R. J. G. | Ellis, Sir G. | Lloyd, G. W. |
| Borodale, Viscount | Elmley, Viscount | Loder, Captain Hon. J. de V. |
| Bower, Comdr. R. T. | Emery, J. F. | Mabane, W. (Huddersfield) |
| Boyce, H. Leslie | Emmott, C. E. G. C. | MacAndrew, Lt.-Col. Sir C. G. |
| Briscoe, Capt. R. G. | Emrys-Evans, P. V. | M'Connell, Sir J. |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R. | Entwistle, C. F. | Macdonald, Capt. P. (Isle of Wight) |
| Brown, Rt. Hon. E. (Leith) | Errington, E. | McKie, J. H. |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Newbury) | Evans, Capt. A. (Cardiff, S.) | Macmillan, H. (Stockton-on-Tees) |
| Browne, A. C. (Belfast, W.) | Everard, W. L. | Macnamara, Capt. J. R. J. |
| Bull, B. B. | Fildes, Sir H. | Macquisten, F. A. |
| Bullock, Capt. M. | Fleming, E. L. | Magnay, T. |
| Burghley, Lord | Fox, Sir G. W. G. | Makins, Brig.-Gen. E. |
| Burgin, Dr. E. L. | Fraser, Capt. Sir I. | Margessan, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. D. R. |
| Butler, R. A. | Freemantle, Sir F. E. | Maxwell, S. A. |
| Butt, Sir A. | Furness, S. N. | Mayhew, Lt.-Col. J. |
| Campbell, Sir E. T. | Ganzoni, Sir J. | Meller, Sir R. J. (Mitcham) |
| Cartland, J. R. H. | Gledhill, G. | Mellor, Sir J. S. P. (Tamworth) |
| Carver, Major W. H. | Gluckstein, L. H. | Mills, Major J. D. (New Forest) |
| Cary, R. A. | Goldie, N. B. | Mitchell, H. (Brentford and Chiswick) |
| Cautley, Sir H. S. | Goodman, Col. A. W. | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) |
| Cayzer, Sir C. W. (City of Chester) | Gower, Sir R. V. | Morris-Jones, Dr. J. H. |
| Cayzer, Sir H. R. (Portsmouth, S.) | Graham Captain A. C. (Wirral) | Morrison, W. S. (Cirencester) |
| Cazalet, Capt. V. A. (Chippenham) | Granville, E. L. | Muirhead, Lt.-Col. A. J. |
| Chair, S. S. de | Grattan-Doyle, Sir N. | Munro, P. M. |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. N. (Edgb't'n) | Gridley, Sir A. B. | Neven-Spence, Maj. B. H. |
| Channon, H. | Grimston, R. V. | Orr-Ewing, I. L. |
| Chapman, A. (Rutherglen) | Guest, Maj. Hon. O. (C'mb'rw'll, N. W.) | Palmer, G. E. H. |
| Chapman, Sir S. (Edinburgh, S.) | Guinness, T. L. E. B. | Peake, O. |
| Chorlton, A. E. L. | Gunston, Capt. D. W. | Percy, Rt. Hon. Lord E. |
| Clarke, F. E. | Guy, J. C. M. | Perkins, W. R. D. |
| Clydesdale, Marquess of | Hamilton, Sir G. C. | Peters, Dr. S. J. |
| Cobb, Sir C. S. | Hanbury, Sir C. | Petherick, M. |
| Colfox, Major W. P. | Hannah, I. C. | Pilkington, R. |
| Collins, Rt. Hon. Sir G. P. | Hannon, P. J. H. | Plugge, L. F. |
| Colville, Lt.-Col. D. J. | Hartington, Marquess of | Ponsonby, Col. C. E. |
| Cooke, J. D. (Hammersmith, S.) | Harvey, G. | Purbrick, R. |
| Cooper, Rt. Hn. A. Duff (W'st'r S. G'gs) | Heilgers, Captain F. F. A. | Ramsay, Captain A. H. M. |
| Cooper, Rt. Hn. T. M. (E'nburgh, W.) | Hepburn, P. G. T. Buchan | Ramsbotham, H. |
| Craven-Ellis, W. | Herbert, A. P. (Oxford U.) | Rathbone, Eleanor (English Univ's.) |
| Crooke, J. S. | Herbert, Major J. A. (Monmouth) | Rathbone, J. R. (Bodmin) |
| Crookshank, Capt. H. F. C. | Holdsworth, H. | Rayner, Major R. H. |
| Crossley, A. C. | Holmes, J. S. | Reed, A. C. (Exeter) |
| Reid, D. D. (Down) | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) | Train, J. |
| Reid, W. Allan (Derby) | Southby, Comdr. A. R. J. | Tree, A. R. L. F. |
| Rickards, G. W. (Skipton) | Spender-Clay Lt.-Cl. Rt. Hn. H. H. | Tryon, Major Rt. Hon. G. C. |
| Ross Taylor, W. (Woodbridge) | Spens, W. P. | Tufnell, Lieut.-Com. R. L. |
| Rowlands, G. | Stanley, Rt. Hon. Lord (Fylde) | Turton, R. H. |
| Russell, A. West (Tynemouth) | Stewart, William J. (Belfast, S.) | Wakefield, W. W. |
| Salmon, Sir I. | Storey, S. | Walker-Smith, Sir J. |
| Sandys, E. D. | Stourton, Hon. J. J. | Wallace, Captain Euan |
| Sassoon, Rt. Hon. Sir P. | Strickland, Captain W. F. | Warrender, Sir V. |
| Savery, Servington | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) | Waterhouse, Captain C. |
| Scott, Lord William | Sutcliffe, H. | Wedderburn, H. J. S. |
| Selley, H. R. | Tasker, Sir R. I. | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel G. |
| Shaw, Captain W. T. (Forfar) | Tate, Mavis C. | Womersley, Sir W. J. |
| Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir J. A. | Taylor, C. S. (Eastbourne) | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir Kingsley |
| Smiles, Lieut.-Colonel Sir W. D. | Thomas, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Derby) | Young, A. S. L. (Partick) |
| Smith, Sir R. W. (Aberdeen) | Thomas, J. P. L. (Hereford) | |
| Smithers, Sir W. | Thomson, Sir J. D. W. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Somervell, Sir D. B. (Crewe) | Touche, G. C. | Sir George Penny and Lieut.-Colonel |
| Sir A. Lambert Ward. | ||
| NOES. | ||
| Acland, Rt. Hon. Sir F. Dyke | Henderson, T. (Tradeston) | Pethick-Lawrence, F. W. |
| Acland, R. T. D. (Barnstaple) | Holland, A. | Potts, J. |
| Adams, D. (Consett) | Hollins, A. | Price, M. P. |
| Adams, D. M. (Poplar, S.) | Hopkin, D. | Quibell, J. D. |
| Alexander, Rt. Hon. A. V. (H'lsbr.) | Jagger, J. | Ritson, J. |
| Anderson, F. (Whitehaven) | Jenkins, A. (Pontypool) | Roberts, W. (Cumberland, N.) |
| Attlee, Rt. Hon. C. R. | Jenkins, Sir W. (Neath) | Robinson, W. A. (St. Helens) |
| Batey, J. | Johnston, Rt. Hon. T. | Rothschild, J. A. de |
| Benson, G. | Jones, A. C. (Shipley) | Rowson, G. |
| Bevan, A. | Jones, J. J. (Silvertown) | Salter, Dr. A. |
| Brown, C. (Mansfield) | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Sanders, W. S. |
| Buchanan, G. | Kelly, W. T. | Seely, Sir H. M. |
| Burke, W. A. | Kennedy, Rt. Hon. T. | Sexton, T. M. |
| Chater, D. | Kirby, B. V. | Shinwell, E. |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. J. R. | Kirkwood, D. | Silverman, S. S. |
| Daggar, G. | Leach, W. | Smith, Ben (Rotherhithe) |
| Dalton, H. | Lee, F. | Smith, E. (Stoke) |
| Davidson, J. J. (Maryhill) | Leonard, W. | Smith, Rt. Hon. H. B. Lees- (K'ly) |
| Davies, D. L. (Pontypridd) | Leslie, J. R. | Smith, T. (Normanton) |
| Davies, R. J. (Westhoughton) | Logan, D. G. | Stephen, C. |
| Davies, S. O. (Merthyr) | Lunn, W. | Stewart, W. J. (H'ght'n-le-Sp'ng) |
| Day, H. | McGhee, H. G. | Strauss, G. R. (Lambeth, N.) |
| Dobbie, W. | McGovern, J. | Taylor, R. J. (Morpeth) |
| Dunn, E. (Rother Valley) | McLaren, A. | Thorne, W. |
| Ede, J. C. | Maclean, N. | Thurtle, E. |
| Edwards, A. (Middlesbrough E.) | MacMillan, M. (Western Isles) | Tinker, J. J. |
| Fletcher, Lt.-Comdr. R. T. H. | MacNeill, Weir, L. | Viant, S. P. |
| Frankel, D. | Mander, G. le M. | Walkden, A. G. |
| Gallacher, W. | Marklew, E. | Walker, J. |
| Gardner, B. W. | Marshall, F. | Watkins, F. C. |
| Garro-Jones, G. M. | Maxton, J. | Watson, W. McL. |
| George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) | Messer, F. | Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. J. C. |
| George, Megan Lloyd (Anglesey) | Milner, Major J. | White, H. Graham |
| Gibbins, J. | Montague, F. | Whiteley, W. |
| Greenwood, Rt. Hon. A. | Morrison, Rt. Hn. H. (Ha'kn'y, S.) | Williams, E. J. (Ogmore) |
| Grenfell, D. R. | Oliver, G. H. | Woods, G. S. (Finsbury) |
| Griffiths, G. A. (Hemsworth) | Owen, Major G. | Young, Sir R. (Newton) |
| Hall, J. H. (Whitechapel) | Paling, W. | |
| Hardie, G. D. | Parker, H. J. H. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Harris, Sir P. A. | Parkinson, J. A. | Mr. Mathers and Mr. Groves. |
Bill read a Second time.