BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 6 June 1940)

§ Mr. Lees-Smith
I beg to ask the Prime Minister to state the business for next week?

§ Sir A. Somerville
On a point of Order. Apparently there is no Member who has the right to put Questions of that sort. Would it be in order to suggest that, to avoid difficulty, the Prime Minister might make a statement without being asked by anybody?

§ The Prime Minister
I feel it more natural to reply to a Question than to obtrude myself without being asked.

§ Sir A. Somerville
Who is to put the Question?

§ The Prime Minister
The business for next week will be:
Tuesday—Supply (10th Allotted Day): Committee—After going formally into Committee of Supply the Adjournment of the House will be moved, and a Debate will take place in Secret Session on Home Defence.
Wednesday—Committee and remaining stages of the Colonial Development and Welfare Bill and of the Evidence and Powers of Attorney Bill; Second Reading of the Remission of Rates (London) Bill, and, if there is time, Second Reading of the War Charities Bill and the Marriage (Scotland) (Emergency Provisions) Bill [Lords]. Motion to approve the Gas Propelled Vehicles Variation of Speed Limit Regulations.

Thursday—Supply (11th Allotted Day)
Committee—A Debate will take place on Civil Defence.

§ Mr. Lees-Smith
The Prime Minister will recognise that in the Secret Session on Tuesday some hon. Members may wish to raise questions not strictly within the purview of Home Defence.

§ The Prime Minister
The topic which we had in mind as being most useful to discuss was Home Defence. That relates to the future, which, after all, concerns us most. But it will be taken on the Motion for the Adjournment; and, consequently, I presume that other matters which are not wholly discordant with the direct question of the preparation of Home Defence will probably be relevant to the Debate. However, I must not trespass on the functions of the Chair.

§ Colonel Wedgwood
As a certain amount of the Debate on Tuesday will be in criticism of some of the permanent officials, would it be possible to have that Debate open to those chiefs of the staff who would come under criticism; or alternatively, should there be a record of what is said in the Debate, kept secret of course, and referred to these chiefs of staff, so that they may understand what the criticism is on these questions?

§ The Prime Minister
My right hon. and gallant Friend is opening up a very large question. The Secret Session itself follows the normal course that has been 997 adopted on all such occasions. The Government, of course, take full responsibility for everything that is done by every officer, military or civil, under the Administration. The burden rests on the Ministers of the Crown. I do not think that it would be in accordance with the principle of a Secret Session if a record were kept of what we say among ourselves when, as the Commons of England, we choose to debate in secret.

§ Mr. Garro Jones
Having regard to the distribution of responsibility for matters of Home Defence among the various Ministers and to the absence of any report, will the Prime Minister at least signify his desire to all the Ministers to be present during the Debate?

§ The Prime Minister
I hope that some of them, at any rate, will be attending to the war.

§ Mr. Garro Jones
While, of course, I appreciate the great force of the point made by the Prime Minister, will he at any rate make sure that the Debate is not stultified by the fact that criticisms made by Members are not conveyed to the responsible Ministers?

§ The Prime Minister
I am sure that in a Debate of this character and interest, all Ministers who can will be there, and that measures will be taken to bring to their notice any points which affect their Departments.

§ Sir H. Williams
Could I put a point to you, Mr. Speaker, affecting several Members of this House? I am sorry that I have not given you warning, and you may desire not to give a Ruling at once, but to have time for consideration. Thirty-two Members of this House are Members of the Select Committee on National Expenditure. In that capacity we are the recipients of a great deal of information, which is taken secretly, and from time to time reports of our proceedings are published. To what extent would it be in order for Members of the Select Committee to make use of information which may not have been published, should they take part in the Debate next Tuesday?

§ Mr. Speaker
I shall require time to consider that point before giving a Ruling.

§ Mr. E. Smith
The announcement was made during the week that the Royal 998 Warrant dealing with pensions for ex-service men was to be issued next week. In view of our experience in the last war, would the Prime Minister give the House an opportunity of considering that Order before the Government finally adopt it?

§ The Prime Minister
I think it will be time for this Question to be put in the regular way when I have had an opportunity of consulting the authorities.

§ Mr. Maxton
Is the Prime Minister aware that the Orders that are published so freely these days are not normal Parliamentary Papers available to Members of this House. That is all right in the case of little pettifogging odds and ends, but to-day there was the announcement on behalf of the Board of Trade of a new Order, and yesterday there was an announcement on behalf of the Ministry of Labour which represented large-scale legislation. I want to ask the Prime Minister whether Papers of that type may not be made available in the Vote Office, as Parliamentary Papers which we may have on demand?

§ The Prime Minister
I have not had time to address myself to this question, but, prima facie, as we understand it, as we are working through Parliament, we think it right and proper that all matters of that kind should be available to Members. There may be some exceptions, but I think that, in principle, these Orders should be made available with other Parliamentary Papers. I am told that the Orders that have been announced to-day are already in the Vote Office.