§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask the Prime Minister to state the business to be taken next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe general Debate on the Address will be brought to a conclusion to-day. The Opposition Amendment will be moved to-morrow (Friday), the Debate on the Amendment being continued and brought to a conclusion on Monday, 9th November. Also, on Monday, the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, Second Reading, and the Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
On Tuesday, 10th November, the Opposition Liberal Amendment on Armaments and Defence will be moved. In ordinary circumstances the Opposition Liberal Amendment to the Address would occupy half a day, but in view of the importance of defence questions I think it would meet the wishes of members in all parts of the House if we allowed extra time for the discussion of this subject. Accordingly, the Government propose to devote the whole of Tuesday and part of Thursday, until half-past seven, to the consideration of the Opposition Liberal Amendment. The Debate on the Address will then be brought to a conclusion, and after 7.30 on Thursday we shall take the Report stage of the Expiring Laws Continuance Money Resolution and the remaining stages of the Bill.
On Wednesday, Private Members' Motions will be considered, and on Friday, Private Members' Bills.
256 On any day, if there is time, other Orders will be taken.
§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask whether it has been ascertained whether the terms of the Liberal Amendment to the Address are sufficiently wide to enable a full debate to take place on all questions of defence, including co-ordination of strategy as well as supplies?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understand that the widest interpretation will be given to the terms of the Amendment, and that all cognate subjects can be raised.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWill my right hon. Friend consider whether it is not an inconvenient precedent that in a Debate on the Address no Amendments should be discussed except those which are put forward by official parties, that no Amendments arising through private Members are to be allowed to be discussed, and whether it is not in a way contrary to the spirit of the Debate on the Address, which is intended to be the fullest and freest opening during the whole Session for the ventilation of grievances?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI cannot entirely agree with my right hon. Friend. Of course for many years past the allocation of time to the Address has been five days. This year we have given an additional day. If such facilities as my right hon. Friend desires were to be given they could be given only by prolongation of the time for the Address. It would mean a substantially longer time than has been customary for a good many years past. This year we are giving an additional day, and owing to two factors, that there is certain legislation which must be obtained by the end of the year and that we have not curtailed private Members' time, the time is limited. We have done our best to meet the wishes of the House on the matter and we have actually got for the House an extra day. That is considerably more than they have had in the past and I am afraid that it is the best we can do.
§ Mr. LAWSONThe only opportunity at an early date that the House will have of discussing the very grave question of the Special Areas is under the Expiring 257 Laws (Continuance) Bill. Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the Special Areas Act has scarcely touched the edge of this problem and that it is really too grave a question to be discussed at such a time of night.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understood that it would be discussed in many aspects during the time allocated for the Opposition Amendment which is put down for to-morrow and which does not conclude until Monday night. I also understand that business has been so arranged, taking the Expiring Laws Bill on Thursday evening of next week, that any subject of that kind can be raised at that time.
§ Mr. BATEYIs the Prime Minister not aware that a Debate on the Special Areas on the Liberal Amendment to the Address and a Debate on the continuation of the Special Areas Act are two entirely different things? We shall certainly not be satisfied with debating the continuation of the Special Areas Act on the Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bill. If the Prime Minister means that we have to take that Bill on Monday night after 11 o'clock he can make up his mind for an all-night sitting.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLHaving regard to the fact that the total exclusion of all Amendments to the Address other than from official parties finds no precedence in the past, will my right hon. Friend make it clear that this extremely unusual departure this year is not to afford any ground for suggesting that only official parties have a right to move Amendments to the Address?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWhat we have done has been to try to satisfy those who wish to raise these questions.
§ Mr. MAXTONI want to associate myself with the protest of the right hon. Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill). I hope he does not object unduly. I can see the case for giving extended time to the Liberal Amendment, but in giving that extended time it is half a day taken away from other sections of the House who have usually been given an opportunity of having an Amendment on the Paper for discussion.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe discussion is now taking the line that the Government are responsible for the selection of Amend- 258 ments. It is entirely in my hands as to what Amendments to the Address are taken.
§ Mr. MAXTONPerhaps I was unfortunate in my way of putting it, but I know that in these matters there are discussions among parties, and I merely wished to put it to you and the Government that when they were taking half a day from other sections of the House they might at least have had the courtesy to discuss with those sections about it.
Mr. LAWSO NI would ask the Prime Minister whether the only thing that the Government intend to do is to continue, with regard to the Special Areas, the policy of the last two years? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the unanimous opinion in the Special Areas and outside that that policy has failed? Is it to continue and are masses of people to continue suffering as they are now doing?
§ Brigadier-General Sir HENRY CROFTIs it not a fact that if this House does not proceed at once to deal with defence questions the whole country will be a Special Area?
§ Mr. BATEYWill the Prime Minister reconsider the question of taking the Expiring Laws Bill after 11 o'clock at night?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Second Reading of the Bill which is being taken on Monday is not an effective stage and discussion could not arise in detail until the later stages. When the hon. Member looks at the programme he will find that Monday night will not be an occasion on which a Debate could possibly be carried on until the small hours of the morning. It could not be done. With regard to what has been said by my right hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill), question and answer at this stage is hardly a suitable medium for dealing with the matter. My right hon. Friend must not make any such assumption as that in his question. The matter will undoubtedly occur during the Debate to-morrow or on Thursday.
§ Mr. MATHERSIs it really necessary to include the Special Areas Act in the Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bill, ix view of the fact that it does not expire until March? Might there not be a separate opportunity provided for deal- 259 ing specially with that Act and amending it in ways that would improve it, especially in view of the fact that in many respects it has proved ineffective up to the present time?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is a point which could perfectly legitimately be raised when the Act comes up for discussion.
§ Mr. DENMANIn view of the obvious fact that the Amendment of my right hon. Friend the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill) is of far greater magnitude and importance than the Amendment put on the Paper by the official Liberal Opposition, would it not be more in the interests of the House and of our Debates if we were to have half a day given to the Opposition Amendment, according to normal practice, and the other day given to the Amendment of my right hon. Friend?