BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 22 February 1940)

§ Mr. Arthur Greenwood
Will the Prime Minister tell the House why it is proposed to suspend the Eleven o'clock Rule tonight, and will he also state the Business for next week?

§ The Prime Minister
It is proposed to suspend the Eleven o'clock Rule to-night in order to make sure of obtaining the Committee stage of the Supplementary Estimates which are on the Order Paper. We also hope to obtain the remaining stages of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous War Provisions) Bill and the Committee stage and concluding stages of the Rating and Valuation (Postponement of Valuations) Bill. We do not propose to keep the House late.
. I intended to-day to announce that it will be necessary for the House to sit on Mondays and Fridays during March in view of the large amount of Business with which we have to deal before Easter, which this year falls early. It will now be necessary, however, to meet on Monday next as well, in order to consider the Committee stage of the Money Resolution for the Old Age Pensions Bill. It was reported to me yesterday that the Opposition had come to the conclusion that the two days set apart for the Second Reading of the Old Age Pensions Bill and the Money Resolution were insufficient and they proposed to keep the House sitting all night on the Money Resolution. No request had reached me earlier through the usual channels that 1535 more time was required. In the circumstances, I thought it undesirable and unnecessary to put hon. Members and the staff of the House to the inconvenience of an all-night sitting. Accordingly, I decided to postpone taking the Committee stage of the Money Resolution last night and to meet on Monday next for the purpose.
The business of the House for next week will be as follows:
Monday—Committee of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Money Resolution.
Tuesday—Motion to move Mr. Speaker out of the Chair on the Navy Estimates and consideration of Votes A and 1, and Navy Supplementary Estimate in Committee. Report stage of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Money Resolution.
Wednesday—Motion to move Mr. Speaker out of the Chair on the Air Estimates and consideration of Votes A, 1 and 8 and Air Supplementary Estimate in Committee.
Thursday and Friday—Committee stage of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Bill.
During the week we hope, as opportunity offers, to make progress with other outstanding business, including the Cotton Industry Bill which has come from another place.

§ Sir Archibald Sinclair
In view of the obvious limitation of discussion on Estimates for the fighting Services, would the Prime Minister consider whether it would be of advantage to meet in private Session in order to discuss one or more of the Estimates for those Services?

§ The Prime Minister
No request for anything of the kind has reached me.

§ Sir A. Sinclair
Would the right hon. Gentleman be willing to consider such a request?

§ The Prime Minister
As at present advised I do not think there would be any useful purpose in doing so.

§ Sir A. Sinclair
Would the right hon. Gentleman consider whether it would be of advantage to arrange for the Ministers in charge of the fighting Services to meet hon. Members in a Committee room upstairs, where we could have a freer discussion on some important matters which arise?

§ The Prime Minister
Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman would have a word with me on the subject afterwards.

§ Mr. Silverman
With regard to the Prime Minister's reference to the convenience of the staff and his remarks about continuing the Debate last night, can he say whether the effect of the decision which he has taken will be that on Monday they will have to do extra time at ordinary rates, whereas last night they would have done it with extra pay?

§ Mr. R. C. Morrison
Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether the arrangements which he announced for sitting an additional day would mean that there would be a re-allocation of all the Ministers time for answering Questions? Otherwise it would not be possible for any Questions to be put down for Monday.

§ The Prime Minister
Now that the House is to sit on Mondays we shall revert to the order of Questions which applies when the House sits on four days a week. The order will be amended by the inclusion of the new Departments and will be circulated to hon. Members to-morrow morning.