HC Deb 18 July 1935 vol 304 cc1232-7
Mr. LANSBURY

Would the Prime Minister state what is the business for to-morrow, and the business for next week?

The PRIME MINISTER

In addition to the Second Reading of the Cattle Industry Bill which has already been announced for to-morrow, we propose to take the remaining stages of the House of Commons Disqualification Bill, the British Sugar Bill, the Isle of Man (Customs) Bill, Teachers (Superannuation) Bill, the Report of the Navy, Army and Air Expenditure, the remaining stages of the Criminal Lunatics (Scotland) Bill, and the Motion to approve Greenwich Hospital accounts.

The business for next week will be:

Monday: Supply, Committee, 17th Allotted Day, the Navy Estimates, Vote 12 (Admiralty Office); Air Supplementary Estimate; Committee Stage of the Cattle Industry Bill.

Tuesday: Supply, Committee, 18th Allotted Day, Debate on Reports of Commissioners for the Special Areas; Third Reading of the Cattle Industry Bill.

Wednesday: Supply, Committee, 19th Allotted Day, Mines Department Vote.

Thursday: Supply, Report, 20th Allotted Day, Colonial Office Vote.

At 10 o'clock on Wednesday and Thursday the Committee and Report stages, respectively, of all outstanding Supply Votes will be put from the Chair.

The business for Friday will be announced later.

During the week progress will be made with other orders, including Money Payments (Justices Procedure) Bill, and the Assurance Companies (Winding-up) Bill, which have come down from another place.

Mr. LANSBURY

A pretty hefty programme! With regard to Friday, some of the items are quite non-controversial, but there are two or three that will need to be discussed, I am sure. I would express the hope that through the usual channels the Prime Minister will make some arrangement as to time for each of them, so that those which require discussion may be discussed. With regard to the business next week, on Tuesday we propose to put down a Motion similar to Motions that we have moved before, in order that the Debate on the Reports of the Commissioners for the depressed areas may be discussed in the broadest manner possible.

Mr. TINKER

With regard to Wednesday, I understood the Prime Minister to say that at 10 o'clock the outstanding Votes will be taken.

The PRIME MINISTER

Yes, at 10 o'clock.

Mr. TINKER

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on the Mines Department Vote many important questions arise, and that the whole of the time should be allotted to it?

The PRIME MINISTER

The hon. Member must be aware that this arrangement has nothing to do with me. I cannot interfere with Standing Orders. I have not selected the Vote, and under the Standing Orders we have to take the outstanding Votes.

Mr. COCKS

With regard to the business on Friday, I note that the Greenwich Hospital accounts come last of all. There is very strong criticism about Greenwich Hospital. Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that time will be given for the discussion of that subject?

The PRIME MINISTER

The Leader of the Opposition has just said that through the usual channels it was hoped to allocate time so that everyone has a fair chance to discuss the subject in which he is interested.

Captain GUEST

As to Tuesday's business, is the House to understand that only a very short space of time will be given to discussion of the Supplementary Estimates for Air expansion?

HON. MEMBERS

On Monday.

Mr. H. STEWART

Will the House have an opportunity to discuss the Forestry Commission Report before the Adjournment?

Captain GUEST

In my question I mentioned Tuesday instead of Monday, but my remark applies equally to Monday, in view of the importance of the Supplementary Estimate for Air expansion. The Estimate seems to me to be sandwiched in between the Navy and Army Supplementary Estimates, and therefore no adequate time can be given to discussion of this enormous expenditure of public money.

The PRIME MINISTER

These two Votes have been put down at the request of the Opposition, but the allocation of time as between them will depend on the desire of hon. Members to take part in the Debate.

Captain GUEST

As the pressure on the Government to increase the Air Force has not come from the Opposition but from supporters of the Government, does it not seem ordinary justice and commonsense that time should be allotted to those who have pressed for it and not to those who have opposed it?

Mr. LANSBURY

If my memory serves me right, we did our best to get a day for the discussion of this matter, and we certainly are not desirous of preventing the fullest discussion. This is a matter which is out of my hands, but I understand that the House wishes to adjourn on a certain day. If hon. and right hon. Gentlemen are prepared to sit for another day we are quite willing that one day should be allocated to the Air Service and another to the Navy.

Colonel GRETTON

In view of the importance of these two subjects, the Navy and Air Force, would the Government consider the advisability of suspending the Eleven o'clock Rule on Monday so as to give adequate time for discussion?

Mr. MAXTON

With reference to the discussion on the Ministry of Mines Vote, may I ask the Prime Minister whether we could not have a later report from the Ministry than that which is now available and which only covers down to December, 1933? Further, may I ask whether the report of the Ministry of Mines could not be made a Parliamentary Paper so that Members could get it on application at the Vote Office instead of being, as it is, a non-Parliamentary paper?

The PRIME MINISTER

Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to put that question on the Paper, and he shall have a reply.

Mr. MAXTON

I wish to ask the Prime Minister whether, accepting my word that these are the facts, he will

make representations in the proper quarter to see that the appropriate information is available to the House for the proper discussion of this Vote.

The PRIME MINISTER

I will look into that, certainly, but, at the moment, I can say nothing more, as I am not familiar with the subject.

Motion made, and Question put, That this day, notwithstanding anything in Standing Order No. 14, Business other than the Business of Supply may be taken before Eleven of the Clock and 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, 269; Noes, 48.

Division No. 276.] AYES. [4.1 p.m.
Acland-Troyte, Lieut.-Colonel Cooke, Douglas Hamilton, Sir George (Ilford)
Adams, Samuel Vyvyan T. (Leeds, W.) Cooper, A. Duff Hartington, Marquess of
Agnew, Lieut.-Com. P. G. Cooper, T. M. (Edinburgh, W.) Hartland, George A.
Albery, Irving James Courthope, Colonel Sir George L. Harvey, George (Lambeth, Kenningt'n)
Allen, Lt.-Col. J. Sandeman (B'k'nh'd) Craddock, Sir Reginald Henry Haslam, Henry (Horncastle)
Allen, William (Stoke-on-Trent) Croft, Brigadier-General Sir H. Headlam, Lieut.-Col. Sir Cuthbert
Allen, Lt.-Col. Sir William (Armagh) Crookshank, Col. C. de Windt (Bootle) Heligers, Captain F. F. A.
Anderson, Sir Alan Garrett Crookshank, Capt. H. C. (Gainsb'ro) Henderson, Sir Vivian L. (Chelmsford)
Assheton, Ralph Cross, R. H. Heneage, Lieut.-Colonel Arthur F.
Astbury, Lieut.-Com. Frederick Wolfe Crossley, A. C. Herbert, Major J. A. (Monmouth)
Atholl, Duchess of Cruddas, Lieut.-Colonel Bernard Herbert, Capt. S. (Abbey Division)
Bailey, Eric Alfred George Cuiverwell, Cyril Tom Hope, Capt. Hon. A. O. J. (Aston)
Baillie, Sir Adrian W. M. Dalkeith, Earl of Hornby, Frank
Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley Davidson, Rt. Hon. Sir John Horobin, Ian M.
Balniel, Lord Davies, Maj. Geo. F. (Somerset, Yeovil) Horsbrugh, Florence
Barclay-Harvey, C. M. Davison, Sir William Henry Howitt, Dr. Alfred B.
Beauchamp, Sir Brograve Campbell Denman, Hon. R. D. Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hackney, N.)
Beaumont, M. W. (Bucks., Aylesbury) Doran, Edward Hudson, Robert Spear (Southport)
Benn, Sir Arthur Shirley Dower, Captain A. V. G. Hume, Sir George Hopwood
Bennett, Capt. Sir Ernest Nathaniel Duckworth, George A. V. Hunter, Dr. Joseph (Dumfries)
Bernays, Robert Dugdale, Captain Thomas Lionel Jackson, Sir Henry (Wandsworth, C.)
Birchall, Major Sir John Dearman Duggan, Hubert John James, Wing.-Com. A. W. H.
Blaker, Sir Reginald Duncan, James A. L. (Kensington, N.) Jamieson, Rt. Hon. Douglas
Blindell, James Eales, John Frederick Jesson, Major Thomas E.
Bowater, Col. Sir T. Vanslttart Elliot, Rt. Hon. Walter Ker, J. Campbell
Bowyer, Capt. Sir George E. W. Ellis, Sir R. Geoffrey Kerr, J. Graham (Scottish Univ.)
Brass, Captain Sir William Elmley, Viscount Kerr, Hamilton W.
Briscoe, Capt. Richard George Emmott, Charles E. G. C. Kirkpatrick, William M.
Broadbent, Colonel John Emrys-Evans, P. V. Knox, Sir Alfred
Brocklebank, C. E. R. Entwistle, Cyril Fullard Lamb, Sir Joseph Quinton
Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Berks., Newb'y) Erskine-Bolst, Capt. C. C. (Blackpool) Lambert, Rt. Hon. George
Browns, Captain A. C. Everard, W. Lindsay Law, Richard K. (Hull, S. W.)
Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. Fermoy, Lord Levy, Thomas
Bullock, Captain Malcolm Fleming, Edward Lascelles Lindsay, Kenneth (Kilmarnock)
Burgin, Dr. Edward Leslie Fraser, Captain Sir Ian Lister, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Cunliffe-
Burnett, John George Galbraith, James Francis Wallace Llewellin, Major John J.
Butler, Richard Austen Ganzoni, Sir John Lloyd, Geoffrey
Cadogan, Hon. Edward Gibson, Charles Granville Locker-Lampson, Rt. Hn. G. (Wd. G'n)
Campbell, Sir Edward Taswell (Brmly) Gledhill, Gilbert Lovat-Fraser, James Alexander
Campbell-Johnston, Malcolm Glossop, C. W. H. Lyons, Abraham Montagu
Caporn, Arthur Cull Gluckstein, Louis Halle Mabane, William
Cautley, Sir Henry S. Goldie, Noel B. MacAndrew, Lieut.-Col. Sir Charles
Cayzer, Maj. Sir H. R. (Prtsmth., S.) Goodman, Colonel Albert W. MacAndrew, Major J. O. (Ayr)
Cazalet, Thelma (Islington, E.) Gower, Sir Robert McConnell, Sir Joseph
Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. Sir J. A. (Birm., W.) Graham, Sir F. Fergus (C'mb'rl'd. N.) MacDonald, Rt. Hon. J. R. (Seaham)
Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Edgbaston) Granville, Edgar Macdonald, Capt. P. D. (I. of W.)
Chapman, Sir Samuel (Edinburgh, S.) Grattan-Doyle, Sir Nicholas McEwen, Captain J. H. F.
Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer Graves, Marjorie McKie, John Hamilton
Clarry, Reginald George Greene, William P. C. Maclay, Hon. Joseph Paton
Clayton, Sir Christopher Gretton, Colonel Rt. Hon. John McLean, Major Sir Alan
Cobb, Sir Cyril Grimston, R. V. McLean, Dr. W. H. (Tradeston)
Cochrane, Commander Hon. A. D. Guest, Capt. Rt. Hon. F. E. Macpherson, Rt. Hon. Sir Ian
Collins, Rt. Hon. Sir Godfrey Gunston, Captain D. W. Maitland, Adam
Colman, N. C. D. Guy, J. C. Morrison Makins, Brigadier-General Ernest
Colville, Lieut.-Colonel J. Hacking, Rt. Hon. Douglas H.Manningham-Buller, Lt.-Col. Sir M.
Conant, R. J. E. Hales, Harold K. Margesson, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. D. R.
Marsden, Commander Arthur Ramsay, Capt. A. H. M. (Midlothian) Stanley, Rt. Hon. Oliver (W'morland)
Martin, Thomas B. Ramsay, T. B. W. (Western Isles) Stewart, J. Henderson (Fife, E.)
Mayhew, Lieut.-Colonel John Ramsbotham, Herwald Stewart, William J. (Belfast, S.)
Meller, Sir Richard James (Mitcham) Ramsden, Sir Eugene Stones, James
Mills, Major J. D. (New Forest) Rankin, Robert Storey, Samuel
Milne, Charles Rathbone, Eleanor Strickland, Captain W. F.
Mitchell, Harold P. (Br'tf'd amp; Chlsw'k) Rawson, Sir Cooper Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn)
Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) Reed, Arthur C. (Exeter) Sugden, Sir Wilfrid Hart
Molson, A. Hugh Elsdale Reid, Capt. A. Cunningham. Templeton, William P.
Moore, Lt.-Col. Thomas C. R. (Ayr) Reid, David D. (County Down) Thomas, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Derby)
Morris, Owen Temple (Cardiff, E.) Reid, William Allan (Derby) Thomas, James P. L. (Hereford)
Morris-Jones, Dr. J. H. (Denbigh) Rhys, Hon. Charles Arthur U. Thomas, Major L. B. (King's Norton)
Morrison, G. A. (Scottish Univer'ties) Rickards, George William Thomson, Sir Douglas
Morrison, William Shepherd Ropner, Colonel L. Thorp, Linton Theodora
Moss, Captain H. J. Ross, Ronald D. Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement
Munro, Patrick Runciman, Rt. Hon. Walter Ward, Irene Mary Bewick (Wellsend)
Nation, Brigadier-General J. J. H. Russell, Albert (Kirkcaldy) Ward, Sarah Adelaide (Cannock)
Nicholson, Godfrey (Morpeth) Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) Wardlaw-Milne, Sir John S.
Nicholson, Rt. Hn. W. G. (Petersf'ld) Russell, R. J. (Eddlsbury) Warrender, Sir Victor A. G.
North, Edward T. Rutherford, John (Edmonton) Waterhouse, Captain Charles
O'Neill, Rt. Hon. Sir Hugh Samuel, Sir Arthur Michael (F'nham) Wedderburn, Henry James Scrymgeour
Orr Ewing, I. L. Samuel, M. R. A. (W'ds'wth, Putney) Wells, Sidney Richard
Palmer, Francis Noel Sanderson, Sir Frank Barnard Whiteside, Borras Noel H.
Peake, Osbert Sassoon, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip A. G. D. Williams, Charles (Devon, Torquay)
Percy, Lord Eustace Savery, Servington Williams, Herbert G. (Croydon, S.)
Perkins, Walter R. D. Shakespeare, Geoffrey H. Willoughby de Eresby, Lord
Peters, Dr. Sidney John Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir John Wise, Alfred R.
Petherick, M. Sinclair, Col. T. (Queen's Unv., Belfast) Wolmer, Rt. Hon. Viscount
Peto, Sir Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) Skelton, Archibald Noel Womersley, Sir Walter
Peto, Geoffrey K. (W'verh'pt'n, Bilst'n) Smith, Bracewell (Dulwich) Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir H. Kingsley
Pickthorn, K. W. M. Somervell, Sir Donald Worthington, Sir John
Pike, Cecil F. Somerville, Annesley A. (Windsor)
Potter, John Somerville, D. G. (Willesden, East) TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—
Powell, Lieut.-Col. Evelyn G. H. Southby, Commander Archibald R. J. Sir George Penny and Lieut.-Colonel
Power, Sir John Cecil Spencer, Captain Richard A. Sir A. Lambert Ward.
NOES.
Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. Christopher Grenfell, David Rees (Glamorgan) Parkinson, John Allen
Attlee, Rt. Hon. Clement R. Griffith, F. Kingsley (Middlesbro', W.) Rea, Sir Walter
Banfield, John William Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) Rothschild, James A. de
Batey, Joseph Hall, George H. (Merthyr Tydvil) Samuel, Rt. Hon. Sir H. (Darwen)
Bevan, Aneurin (Ebbw Vale) Hamilton, Sir R. W. (Orkney & Zetl'nd) Smith, Tom (Normanton)
Brown, C. W. E. (Notts., Mansfield) Kirkwood, David Thorne, William James
Buchanan, George Lansbury, Rt. Hon. George Tinker, John Joseph
Cleary, J. J. Logan, David Gilbert Wedgwood, Rt. Hon. Joslah
Cocks, Frederick Seymour Lunn, William West, F. R.
Daggar, George Macdonald, Gordon (Ince) White, Henry Graham
Davies, David L. (Pontypridd) McEntee, Valentine L. Williams, Dr. John H. (Llanelly)
Dobbie, William Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) Williams, Thomas (York, Don Valley)
Edwards, Sir Charles Mainwaring, William Henry Wilmot, John
George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) Mallalieu, Edward Lancelot Wood, Sir Murdoch McKenzie (Banff)
George, Megan A. Lloyd (Anglesea) Mander, Geoffrey le M.
Gibbins, J. Mason, David M. (Edinburgh, E.) TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—
Greenwood, Rt. Hon. ArthurMaxton, James. Mr. John and Mr. Paling.