HC Deb 02 December 1942 vol 385 cc1164-6
Mr. Denman

On the question of to-day's Business, it is clearly desirable that the Select Committee on Equal Compensation should be set up at once, and I wanted to ask the Leader of the House whether he would give us a little time for a Debate—which I think is clearly necessary—on the Amendment which I have put down on the terms of reference. I suggest that if we suspend the Rule, we could have a brief Debate, and get the matter settled to-day.

Mr. Eden

I had rather hoped that no Debate would be necessary. I thought the House had had a good day on this matter. The terms of reference have been read many times, and I thought the House would have wanted to get on with its Business. I have no doubt that if it wishes the Committee will be able to report under the proposed terms of refer- ence, and I think it would be a mistake to have a Debate. I hope that my hon. Friend will not press his Amendment, but will let the Committee get on with its work at once.

Mr. Denman

I am afraid that the Amendment must be put, and that it must involve a brief Debate. The terms of reference are obviously very unsatisfactory as they stand, because they do not define the issue. My Amendment brings the matter to an issue. If the Rule were suspended, we could have a Debate.

Mr. Eden

I hope my hon. Friend will not press the point. I was here during the whole discussion, and the terms of reference were read out many times, and I have not heard anyone object to them until now. I hope that we can go ahead with the matter.

Mrs. Tate

With all due deference to the Leader of the House, the nature of the terms of reference, their extreme vagueness, was one of the things which induced me to press my Amendment to a Division last week.

Mr. Lipson

As there are a number of Members who wish to speak to-day, could not the Rule be suspended on the Amendment to the Address?

Mr. Eden

I am in the hands of the House, but we have already had one day on this Amendment. There is only one Government speech to be made, and it will not be a very long one—that I can guarantee, because it is my own. I am in the hands of the House, but I would rather we stuck to our arrangements and wound the Debate up, as we had decided.

Mr. Lipson

I would ask that the Rule might be suspended in view of the large number of Members who wish to speak on the Amendment to the Address.

Mr. Eden

I must remind hon. Members that we have fixed these hours to meet the convenience of the House. The proposal that is now made would mean recasting the arrangements for the Debate. I will consider the matter further, and, if necessary, different arrangements can be made. But I hope hon. Members will allow us to stick to our arrangements; otherwise, confusion is created.

Earl Winterton

I observe that the second item on the Order Paper, after the Address in reply to the King's Speech, is a Motion for an Address, in the name of the Secretary of State for India. Is it intended that, when it is moved, either the Secretary of State for India or some other Minister will be here to explain exactly what the Address is about? We now, owing to war conditions, have a great many of these Motions. Would the Leader of the House bear this point in mind?

Mr. Eden

That is so. I have spoken to the Secretary of State for India about this, and I will see that an explanation is furnished.

Miss Ward

Will the Government find time for the Amendment in the name of the hon. Gentleman the Member for Central Leeds (Mr. Denman) dealing with the terms of reference to the Select Committee?

Mr. Eden

I hoped I had persuaded my hon. Friend not to press the Amendment, so that the Committee can get on without further delay. I am certain that that is the best result in the interests of the House.

Miss Ward

I entirely agree with my right hon. Friend, because I hope that when the Committee has sat it will be realised how absurd are the terms of reference, and I hope, therefore, that the House will accept the suggestion that the hon. Member will withdraw the Amendment.

Mr. Eden

Our motives may be different, but the result is the same.

Mr. Lipson

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the answer he has given to the House means that, if it is clear later in the Debate that a large number of Members wish to speak, the Debate will be continued?

Mr. Eden

The hon. Member will appreciate that I have tried to take the sense of the House, and I think the House want to stick to the arrangement.

Dr Edith Summerskill

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how he arrived at the composition of the Select Committee on Equal Compensation? [Interruption.] I think it is important.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member cannot raise the question of the names of the Select Committee.

Dr Summerskill

It is a question of numbers and not of names.