APPROVED SCHOOLS, ETC., SCOTLAND. (Hansard, 25 February 1935)

§ Mr. LANSBURY
I beg to move, "That the Chairman do report Progress, and ask leave to sit again."
I do so in order to call attention to the fact that it is now half-past eleven and the Government have already got five Votes, some of considerable importance, which have been discussed but not over-discussed. I think it is asking the Committee to go a very long way if we are to take the other Votes on the Paper to-night. If we report Progress now it should be easy on another occasion to get through the remaining Estimates in the name of the Financial Secretary. A number of the Votes which are down for consideration are such as will need discussion, and, while we are quite willing, when we agree, as we did agree on the Herring Fishery Bill in principle, to abide by that decision, we cannot give up our right to ask Ministers to make statements on those Votes or to discuss them to some extent. I think the Government have done very well to-night, thanks to the reasonableness of the powerful Opposition, and I hope they will agree to report Progress.

§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Captain Margesson)
While I agree that certain. progress has been made, I hoped that without asking Members to sit much longer and without putting too great a strain upon 917 their industry, we might have secured the next two Votes on the Paper, for approved schools and Colonial and Middle Eastern Services. I understand, from inquiries I have made, that a very small amount of discussion is necessary on those Votes, and if we could get these, the Government would be prepared to report Progress and take the Ministry of Transport and other Votes on some other day. There is a supplementary estimate for the Ministry of Labour at the bottom of the list, and I understood that a protracted discussion would take place on that Vote and so I was anxious to get the Committee to such a stage that a long discussion could be taken on that Vote.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
I cannot speak for Scottish Members, but whenever there is a Scottish subject Scottish Members are very industrious in putting points of view which have to be answered. It is true that the Ministry of Labour Vote may take some time, but the Government must give us time, and we must not be asked to give up one set of rights in order to establish another. Therefore I ask the right hon. Gentleman to let us go home now and take our chance on other Votes, in view of the fact that there has been no obstruction at all this evening. It is unreasonable to ask us to go further, because once we start on approved schools in Scotland I do not know how long we may not continue. I have had notice indirectly from one hon. Member that he has a few points to put on the subject of the Middle Eastern Services, and I may want to say something on it also, and so we may be sitting here till the morning.

§ Mr. MAXTON
I understand that the Patronage Secretary wants us to get the two Supplementary Estimates which he mentioned and then finish, and is not proposing to proceed with the consolidation Bill.

§ Captain MARGESSON
I meant as far as the Supplementary Estimates were concerned, but the Government certainly want to take the Committee and Third Reading stages of that consolidation Bill and the Report stage of the Housing (Scotland) Money Resolution.

§ Mr. LANSBURY
As far as I am concerned, the two matters outside the 918 Supplementary Estimates it was agreed should be taken to-night. I am asking that we should report Progress on these Supplementary Estimates, and we do not propose to discuss either the consolidation Bill or the Housing Resolution. I therefore hope the right hon. Gentleman will agree to finish now.

§ Captain MARGESSON
As usual, I find it very difficult to resist the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition, and in the circumstances I will accede to his request.