§ At end of Questions:
§ Mr. D. MASONI beg to ask leave to move the adjournment of the House on a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely,
the continuous fall in the value of the paper pound, and the declared inability of His Majesty's Government to offer any remedy to arrest its further fall.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member proposes to move the Adjournment of the House on a definite matter of urgent public importance, namely, the continuous fall in the value of the paper pound and the declared inability of His Majesty's Government to offer any remedy to arrest its further fall. I am afraid that that would hardly come under the rule of Standing Order No. 8 which deals with the Adjournment of the Rouse. I do not think the rule was framed to deal with a matter of that kind. It can hardly be described as one of such urgency that it would come under that Standing Order. No doubt, in a certain sense, it may be described as urgent, but the hon. Member says himself that it is continuous. Therefore, I cannot accept it as a matter of urgency under Standing Order No. 8.
§ Mr. MASONWith all respect, may I ask when in your opinion the urgency will become urgent? When the paper pound is worth five shillings or, like the mark, valueless, should I then be in order in moving the Adjournment as a matter of urgency?
§ Mr. LANSBURYI should like you, Mr. Speaker, to reconsider the matter in view of the fact that, although the fall may have been continuous, it may have reached such a point now that it is necessary for Parliament to take action. May I remind you that previous to the last General Election, and since, the right hon. Gentleman opposite and the Government have always maintained that this was a subject which they were called into being to deal with. Seeing that they have an overwhelming majority and can do what they please, is it not time that they did the job that they were elected to do?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am hardly qualified to give the right hon. Gentleman an answer to the latter part of his question. As regards the question of urgency, I do not dispute that it is urgent, but it is not one of those subjects 1310 that come under Standing Order No. 8. It might just as well be dealt with tomorrow as to-day.
§ Mr. LANSBURYBut we are not sure about to-morrow. We can only deal with it now. May I remind you that so great is the emergency that the Prime Minister has carried round bundles of German marks in order to demonstrate the terrible plight that the country would be in if we got into this position.
§ Mr. LAMBERTCould not this question be raised by the Opposition on Monday on the Vote on Account?
§ Sir H. SAMUELMay I ask, through you, Mr. Speaker, whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer would consider making some statement on this matter which would be of a reassuring character?
§ Mr. SPEAKEROf course, the subject could be raised on Monday on the Vote on Account. That is another reason why it cannot be taken under Standing Order No. 8.