HC Deb 08 March 1937 vol 321 cc938-40

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Captain Margesson.]

11.13 p.m.

Mr. Hardie

I wanted to raise the question of steel in Scotland with the President of the Board of Trade, but I do not know whether he is here. I sent him a letter saying I was raising the matter to-night, but if there is no representative of the Department present I am prepared to wait until he is. Do I understand that there is no representative of the Board of Trade present?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Margesson)

I am afraid there is not. Do I understand that the hon. Gentleman sent a message and that the President received it? Otherwise there must have been some mistake, for I am certain that Board of Trade would not have been guilty of such a discourtesy if they had been given notice.

Mr. Hardie

I sent a letter this morning addressed to the President of the Board of Trade. I handed it in at the door here to be given to him.

Captain Margesson

I can only repeat that I fear that neither the President of the Board of Trade nor the Parliamentary Secretary has received that communica- tion from the hon. Gentleman; otherwise, I have no doubt whatsoever that they would have been here, realising that the Eleven o'Clock Rule had not been suspended and that a Division must take place at Eleven o'Clock. With Government business over most certainly one or other of them would have been in his place to answer.

Mr. Hardie

I have seen the assistant to the President of the Board of Trade passing about here, and I understood he would have been here. I am rather surprised that he is not. I wish to put this question to you, Mr. Deputy-Speaker. In the event of my not going on with this subject now, can I postpone it to another evening for the President of the Board of Trade or his representative to be here?

Mr. Deputy-Speaker (Captain Bourne)

If the hon. Member does not wish to exercise his right to-night to raise something which he has given notice to raise on the Adjournment, obviously he will be able to raise it another time.

Mr. Hardie

I think it will be more satisfactory to do so.

Captain Margesson

Since the Adjournment Motion was challenged, I have made inquiries and find that neither the President of the Board of Trade nor the Parliamentary Secretary received any communication whatsoever, and therefore what I surmise must be true, and the hon. Member's letter must have miscarried.

Mr. Hardie

It is a strange thing, but this is the third time a letter of mine has miscarried. I am blaming no one. I was waiting here this morning to make sure that no one else was going to raise anything, and having learned that I then wrote the letter and sent it to the President of the Board of Trade's Department, and it is not my fault at all, but I hope I shall be able to raise the matter again.

Adjourned accordingly at Seventeen Minutes after Eleven o' Clock.