§ 45. Mr. MANDERasked the Prime Minister whether he is now able to make an announcement with regard to the suggestion that a full half-hour should be allowed for Members desiring to raise matters on the Eleven o'clock adjournment?
§ The PRIME MINISTERDuring the present Session, the House has sat on 34 days, other than Fridays. On 13 occasions the adjournment took place at or after 11.20 p.m. on account of the suspension of the Eleven o'clock Rule, or of exempted business or of Divisions; and on 21 occasions Government business was concluded at various times between 7.35 p.m. and 11.13 p.m. Debates could have been initiated by Members, if they so desired, on each of those 21 occasions, but in fact only six Debates took place—one starting at 11.13 p.m. The Government, therefore, 539 consider that the existing facilities for Debates on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House are adequate, and, in their opinion, a case has not been established for any alteration in the Standing Order. I may add, however, that the Government will keep the hon. Member's suggestion under review.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman the business for next week, and how far he intends to go tonight?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMay I take this opportunity of congratulating the right hon. Gentleman on his birthday, and to wish him many happy returns of the day.
The business for next week will be as follows:
Monday: Committee stage of the following Supplementary Estimates: Civil Service Remuneration, etc., Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Cattle Fund, Herring Industry, Prison Department for Scotland, Approved Schools, etc., Scotland, Colonial and Middle Eastern Services, Ministry of Transport, and other Votes. Further progress will be made with the Unemployment Insurance Bill [Lords], which we hope to read a Second time to-morrow. This is purely a consolidation Bill.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: Government of India Bill, Committee stage.
The business for Friday will be announced later.
On any day, if there is time, other Orders will be taken.
We are asking for the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock rule to-day as a precaution in order to obtain the Second Reading of the Housing (Scotland) Bill, and the Committee stage of the necessary money resolution. To-morrow, in addition to the Report and Third Reading of the Herring Industry Bill and the Second Reading of the Post Office and Telegraph (Money) Bill, we shall consider the Second Reading of the Unemployment Insurance Bill, which has come from another place and which consolidates the law with regard to unemployment insurance.
§ Mr. MAXTONIn view of the very heavy business for Monday, are the Government assuming that the Unemployment Insurance Bill will be of a non-controversial nature?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is a consolidation Bill, and I hope it will be treated as a consolidation Bill always is.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI asked a question about to-night especially because of that. I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that we are to take the Second Reading to-morrow. I cannot give him any assurance that we shall consider, this Bill as non-controversial.
§ Mr. MAXTONHaving regard to the fact, will the Prime Minister consider not putting it down for a late hour on Monday evening after about a dozen Supplementary Estimates?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Bill really is a consolidation Bill and has been before the Joint Select Committee on Consolidation Bills. Perhaps the House will allow me to quote the relevant sentence in their report to the House:
The committee are of opinion that the Bill as amended is pure consolidation and represents the existing law.
§ Mr. LANSBURYThis is an exceptional Bill, and I hope the Patronage Secretary and the Prime Minister will leave their minds open as to what may happen on Monday. I understand that to-morrow the business is such that we shall probably get a fair amount of time for the Second Reading, but we may also want to carry on the discussion when we come to the Third Reading. I am not sure that there is any Committee stage of the Bill. I want to safeguard the fact that we do not agree it is non-controversial, and I think that we shall be able to show that to-morrow.
§
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, 246; Noes, 40.
543| Division No. 56.] | AYES | [3.50 p.m |
| Adams, Samuel Vyvyan T. (Leeds, W.) | Gledhill, Gilbert | O'Neill, Rt. Hon. Sir Hugh |
| Albery, Irving James | Glossop, C. W. H | Orr Ewing, I. L |
| Alexander, Sir William | Glucksteln, Louis Halle | Palmer, Francis Noel |
| Allen, William (Stoke-on-Trent) | Glyn, Major Sir Ralph G. C | Pearson, William G |
| Assheton, Ralph | Goff, Sir Park | Peat, Charles U. |
| Astor, Viscountess (Plymouth, Sutton) | Goodman, Colonel Albert W | Percy, Lord Eustace |
| Atholl, Duchess of | Grattan-Doyle, Sir Nicholas | Petherick, M. |
| Balniel, Lord | Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John | Peto, Geoffrey K.(W'verh'pt'n, Bllst'n) |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M | Grimston, R. V | Potter, John |
| Barrle, Sir Charles Coupar | Gunston, Captain D. W | Pybus, Sir John |
| Beauchamp, Sir Brograve Campbell | Guy, J. C. Morrison | Raikes, Henry V. A. M |
| Belt, Sir Alfred L | Hacking, Rt. Hon. Douglas H | Ramsay, Capt. A. H. M. (Midlothian) |
| Benn, Sir Arthur Shirley | Hamilton, Sir George (Ilford) | Ramsay, T. B. W. (Western Isles) |
| Bernays, Robert | Hamilton, Sir R. W.(Orkney & Zetl'nd) | Ramsbotham, Herwald |
| Blaker, Sir Reginald | Harris, Sir Percy | Ramsden, Sir Eugene |
| Blindell, James | Harvey, Major Sir Samuel (Totnes) | Rea, Walter Russell |
| Bossom, A. C. | Haslam, Henry (Horncastle) | Read, Arthur C. (Exeter) |
| Bowyer, Capt. Sir George E. W. | Hills, Major Rt. Hon. John Waller | Reid, Capt. A. Cunningham |
| Boyce, H. Leslie | Hore-Bellsha, Leslie | Reid, David D. (County Down) |
| Brass, Captain Sir William | Hornby, Frank | Reld, James S. C. (Stirling) |
| Briscoe, Capt. Richard George | Horne, Rt. Hon. Sir Robert S | Rickards, George William |
| Broadbent, Colonel John | Horsbrugh, Florence | Ropner, Colonel L |
| Brocklebank, C. E. R | Howitt, Dr. Alfred B | Rosbotham, Sir Thomas |
| Brown, Col. D. C. (N'th'I'd., Hexham) | Hume, Sir George Hopwood | Ruggles-Brise, Colonel Sir Edward |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C.(Berks., Newb'y) | Inskip, Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas W. H | Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter |
| Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. | Jackson, Sir Henry (Wandsworth, C.) | Russell, Albert (Kirkcaldy) |
| Burgin, Dr. Edward Leslie | James, Wing.-Com. A. W. H. | Rutherford, John (Edmonton) |
| Burnett, John George | Jamieson, Douglas | Rutherford, Sir John Hugo (Llverp'l) |
| Butler, Richard Austen | Jones, Lewis (Swansea, West) | Salmon, Sir Isldore |
| Cadogan, Hon. Edward | Ker, J. Campbell | Samuel, Sir Arthur Michael (F'nham) |
| Caine, G. R. Hall | Kerr, Hamilton W. | Samuel, Rt. Hon. Sir H. (Darwen) |
| Campbell-Johnston, Malcolm | Kimball, Lawrence | Samuel, M. R. A. (W'ds' wth, Putney) |
| Carver, Major William H. | Kirkpatrick, William M. | Sandeman, Sir A. N. Stewart |
| Cautley, Sir Henry S. | Knight, Holford | Sanderson, Sir Frank Barnard |
| Cayzer, Maj. Sir H. R. (Prtsmth., S.) | Knox, Sir Alfred | Sassoon, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip A. G. D |
| Cazalet, Thelma (Islington, E.) | Lamb, Sir Joseph Quinton | Shaw, Helen B. (Lanark, Bothwell) |
| Cazalat, Capt. V. A. (Chippenham) | Lambert, Rt. Hon. George | Shaw, Captain William T. (Forfar) |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Lord Hugh | Law, Sir Alfred | Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir John |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N.(Edgbaston) | Leech, Dr. J. W | Sinclair, Maj. Rt. Hn. Sir A.(C'thness) |
| Chapman, Sir Samuel (Edinburgh, S.) | Leighton, Major B. E. P | Skelton, Archibald Noel |
| Clydesdale, Marquees of | Lennox-Boyd, A. T | Smith, Bracewell (Dulwich) |
| Cobb, Sir Cyril | Levy, Thomas | Smithers, Sir Waldron |
| Cochrane, Commander Hon, A. D | Lindsay, Kenneth (Kilmarnock) | Somervell, Sir Donald |
| Colfox, Major William Philip | Lindsay, Noel Ker | Somerville, Annesley A. (Windsor) |
| Collins, Rt. Hon. Sir Godfrey | Lister, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Cunliffe | Spender-Clay, Rt. Hon. Herbert H |
| Colman, N. C. D, | Lloyd, Geoffrey | Spens, William Patrick |
| Conant, R. J. E | Locker-Lampion, Rt. Hn. G. (Wd. G'n) | Stanley, Rt. Hon. Oliver (W'morland) |
| Cooper, A. Duff | Lockwood, John C. (Hackney, C.) | Stevenson, James |
| Copeland, Ida | Lockwood, Capt. J. H. (Shipley) | Stewart, J. Henderson (Fife, E.) |
| Courthope, Colonel Sir George L | Loder, Captain J. de Vers | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) |
| Craddock, Sir Reginald Henry | Lumley, Captain Lawrence R | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Sir Murray F |
| Cranborne, Viscount | Mabane, William | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid Hart |
| Crookshank, Capt. H. C. (Galnsb'ro) | MacAndrew, Lt.-Col C. G. (Partick) | Summersby, Charles H |
| Cross, R. H | MacAndrew, Capt. J. O. (Ayr) | Sutcilffe, Harold |
| Culverwell, Cyril Tom | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Seaham) | Tate, Mavis Constance |
| Dalkeith. Earl of | MacDonald, Malcolm (Bassetlaw) | Templeton, William P. |
| Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) | Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.) | Titchfield, Major the Marquess of |
| Davison, Sir William Henry | Maclay, Hon. Joseph Paton | Todd, A. L. S. (Kingswinford) |
| Dawson, Sir Philip | McLean, Dr. W. H. (Tradeston) | Touche, Gordon Cosme |
| Doran, Edward | Macpherson, Rt. Hon-. Sir Ian | Train, John |
| Dugdale, Captain Thomas Lionel | Macquisten, Frederick Alexander | Tree, Ronald |
| Duggan, Hubert John | Maitland, Adam | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Makins, Brigadier-General Ernest | Turton, Robert Hugh | |
| Duncan, James A. L. (Kensington, N.) | Mallalieu, Edward Lancelot | Wallace, Captain D. E. (Hornsey) |
| Dunglass, Lord | Mander, Geoffrey le M | Wallace, Sir John (Dunfermilne) |
| Ealet, John Frederick | Margesson, Capt-Rt. Hon. H. D. R | Ward, Lt.-Col. Sir A. L. (Hull) |
| Eden, Rt. Hon. Anthony | Marsden, Commander Arthur | Ward, Irene Mary Bewick (Wallsend) |
| Elliot, Rt. Hon. Walter | Martin, Thomas B | Warrender, Sir Victor A. G |
| Ellis, Sir R. Geoffrey | Mason, Col. Glyn K. (Croydon, N.) | Watt, Captain George Steven H |
| Eillston, Captain George Sampson | Mayhew, Lieut.-Colonel John | Wells, Sydney Richard |
| Emmott, Charles E. G. C | Mills, Sir Frederick (Leyton, E.) | White, Henry Graham |
| Emrys-Evans, P. V | Mills, Major J. D. (New Forest) | Whiteside, Borras Noel H |
| Evane, Capt. Ernest (Welsh Univ.) | Milne, Charles | Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay) |
| Evane, R. T, (Carmarthen) | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) | Willoughby da Eresby, Lord |
| Everard, W. Lindsay | Womersley, Sir Walter | |
| Fermoy, Lord | Molson, A. Hugh Elsdale | Wood. Sir Murdoch McKenzle (Banff) |
| Foot, Dingle (Dundee) | Monsell, Rt. Hon. Sir B. Eyres | Worthington, Dr. John V |
| Foot, Isaac (Cornwall, Bodmin) | Moore, Lt.-Col. Thomas C-R. (Ayr) | Young, Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton (S'v'oaks) |
| Morrison, G. A. (Scottish Univer'tles) | Young, Ernest J. (Middlesbrough, E.) | |
| Fraser, Captain Sir Ian | Moss, Captain H. J | |
| Fuller, Captain A. G | Mulrhead, Lieut.-Colonel A. J | |
| Galbraith, James Francis Wallace | Nation, Brigadier-General J. J. H | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Gault, Lieut.-Col. A. Hamilton | Nicholson, Rt. Hn. W. G. (Petersf' Id) | Sir Frederick Thomson and Sir |
| Gillett, Sir George Masterman | Normand, Rt. Hon. Wilfrid | George Penny |
| Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Nunn, William |
| NOES | ||
| Addison, Ht. Hon. Dr. Christopher | Hall, George H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Maxton, James |
| Banfield, John William | Hicks, Ernest George | Milner, Major James |
| Batey, Joseph | Jenkins, Sir William | Nathan, Major H. L |
| Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) | Jones, Morgan (Caerphilly) | Paling, Wilfred |
| Buchanan, George | Kirkwood, David | Parkinson, John Allen |
| Cape, Thomas | Lansbury, Rt, Hon. George | Smith, Tom (Normanton) |
| Cleary, J. J | Lawson, John James | Strauss, G. R. (Lambeth, North) |
| Daggar, George | Leonard, William | Thorne, William James |
| Davies, David L. (Pontypridd) | Logan, David Gilbert | Tinker, John Joseph |
| Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) | Lunn, William | West, F. R |
| Davies, Stephen Owen | Macdonald, Gordon (Ince) | Williams, Edward John (Ogmore) |
| Edwards, Charles | McGovern, John | Wilmot, John |
| Gardner, Benjamin Walter | Maclean, Nell (Glasgow, Govan) | |
| Grenfell, David Rees (Glamorgan) | Mainwaring, William Henry | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Mr. John and Mr. Groves |