§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask the Prime Minister to state the business for next week?
§ The PRIME MINISTERMonday: Second Reading of the Public Order Bill.
1052 Tuesday: Consideration of the Instruments of Instructions to the Governors of India Provinces and of Burma, and other outstanding Orders. Second Reading of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
Wednesday: Private Members' Motions.
Thursday: Second Reading of the Trunk Roads Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
Friday: Private Members' Bills.
On any day, if there is time, other Orders may be taken.
§ Mr. ATTLEEMay I ask the Prime Minister whether, in view of the report of the Commissioner for Special Areas, he will consider taking out from the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill the Special Areas Act; and, in view of the feeling in the House that that matter should be discussed, and that the mere passing of that Act will be quite insufficient to deal with that problem, will he consider taking that course?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Bill can be moved out in Committee. That is the active stage of the discussion, but, as I said the other day, it is impossible to debate the merits of putting this Bill into the Expiring Laws Bill by question and answer. My own view—and it is a very strong view—is that the right hon. Gentleman rather misapprehends the situation, and I ask him to wait for the speech which will be made upon the introduction of the Second Reading of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill. The issue of the report really has nothing to do with it because the continuation of the Special Areas Act does certain specific things, but it does not prejudice in any way and cannot prejudice anything that the Government may think fit to do which is completely outside the present Act.
§ Mr. ATTLEEWill the Committee stage of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill be taken as the first Order?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes, I will undertake to say that because I realise its importance. I will give a whole day to it.
§ Mr. THORNEWhen the right hon. Gentleman was making his statement his right hon. Friend on his right shook his head, which indicated disagreement.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am much obliged to the hon. Gentleman opposite for calling my attention to a momentary and very rare disagreement between myself and my right hon. Friend. He very rightly took note of the fact that I did not use the words "Committee stage" when I should have done.
§ Mr. MAXTONMay I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether it will be possible for this House to debate fully the question of the Special Areas on the Motion to withdraw that Act from the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, or whether there will be very strict limitations on the scope of that Debate? The Prime Minister has asked us to await the Committee stage and the statement that will be made then. I want to ask you, Sir, whether it will be possible for us to discuss the problem of the Special Areas on the Motion to exclude the Act from the Expiring Laws Bill?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think that, before I answer that question directly, I ought to say, in order that the House may not be mistaken, that on the Second Reading of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill there is no discussion at all, not even an introductory speech. Over and over again I myself and my predecessors have ruled that it is not possible to debate the Second Reading of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill. As regards the actual question which the hon. Member asked me, as to whether there can be a full discussion during the Committee stage on an Amendment to leave out the Special Areas Act, I may say, although, of course, I shall not be in the Chair, that the fullest discussion would be allowed on such an Amendment.
§ Mr. MICHAEL BEAUMONTCan you tell us, Mr. Speaker, whether it would be possible to have some statement or some discussion on this subject on the Committee stage of the Money Resolution?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertainly there could be a discussion at that stage, but the proper stage is the Committee stage of the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill.
§ Mr. LAWSONCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether, since the Debate last night, arrangements have been made for certain Ministers to meet certain 1054 Members of this House, with certain marchers in order to discuss their grievances?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI ought to have had notice of that question.
§ Mr. HARDIEMay we have an answer to the question as to whether there is any truth in the rumour that the Minister of Labour has made arrangements to meet any Member of the House with marchers from his constituency? Is that true or not?