HC Deb 21 January 1943 vol 386 cc301-4
Mr. Arthur Greenwood

May I ask the Leader of the House what will be the forthcoming Business?

Mr. Eden

The Business will be as follows:

First Sitting Day—Committee stage of the Supplementary Vote of Credit and of the Vote of Credit for War Expenditure, 1943; and Second Reading of the Minister of Town and Country Planning Bill, which the Government desire to pass into law as soon as possible.

Second Sitting Day—Report stage of the Votes of Credit; Committee and remaining stages of the Minister of Town and Country Planning Bill.

Third Sitting Day—We shall ask the House to pass a special Consolidated Fund Bill for the Votes of Credit through all its stages.

We hope that the Minister of Town and Country Planning Bill will be disposed of on the second Sitting Day, and, if so, there will be an opportunity on the third Sitting Day for a Debate on the Organisation and Control of the Civil Service arising out of the Sixteenth Report from the Select Committee on National Expenditure.

If there is time on the first or second Sitting Day we shall make further progress with the Workmen's Compensation Bill, the Police (Appeals) Bill, and the Crown Lands Bill.

Mr. Greenwood

May I put this point to the right hon. Gentleman? The Minister of Town and Country Planning Bill was only issued late last night, and few people have had any opportunity of considering it. I have glanced at it, and, as far as I can see, it is largely a machinery Bill. In that case a good deal will depend on the point of view of the House on the policy underlying the Bill itself. Although I should be the last person to interfere with or delay any Bill dealing with reconstruction, may I put it that to take the Second Reading on the first Sitting Day and complete all the stages on the following day is a little unfair to the House until it has been informed of the general background of policy which necessitated the Bill and has all the information which the House ought to be put in possession of before we can complete the remaining stages of the Bill on the second Sitting Day?

Mr. Eden

As the right hon. Gentleman himself quite rightly says, it is a machinery Bill. It is the Bill that we need to enable the Minister to examine the position, settle the policy, and carry on with it. I do not think it need be so very difficult to dispose of it on consecutive days, but perhaps we can consider that a little further and decide how to handle the matter. It is essentially only a machinery Bill.

Mr. Greenwood

I hope the right hon. Gentleman will forgive me if I press the point. The fact that it is a machinery Bill does not dispose of my point, that the attitude of the House will be determined by the policy lying behind the machinery that is set up. I am not certain, for example, in my own mind whether this Ministry is desirable or not until I know what lies behind it, and it would put the House in a difficult position to force the Bill through all its stages on two consecutive days.

Mr. Eden

The reasons that led to the Bill being brought forward were explained at some length in the last reconstruction Debate, in response to a number of questions which the right hon. Gentleman asked. That is the fons et origo of the Bill, and this is the machinery to give effect to what my right hon. Friend then said. I should have hoped we could get it during the next series of Sitting Days, but I am quite willing to consider it, and perhaps it can be discussed through the usual channels.

Mr. Greenwood

Perhaps on the next Sitting Day a Question might be put about it. In the interval I should like the Leader of the House to consider the possibility of getting the Workmen's Compensation Bill on the second Sitting Day, as I understand that agreement has been reached, and, if it were found agreeable to the Government to postpone the remaining stages of the other Bill, perhaps the Leader of the House might consider an open Debate on the transfer of labour that day.

Mr. Eden

Of course, I will consider it, but the right hon. Gentleman must not take it as a pledge that I can do anything.

Mr. Tinker

May I ask when we are likely to have the Bill dealing with old age pensions, mentioned in the King's Speech, before the House?

Mr. Eden

I may be able to give some indication of the time table during the next series of Sittings. It will not be then, but I may be able to give some indication then when it will be.

Mr. Stokes

In view of the willingness expressed by the Minister of Production to make a report to the House on his recent visit to America and on Government policy with regard to tanks and tank engines, and in view of misleading and disingenuous statements made on the subject recently by the Minister of Defence, will the right hon. Gentleman afford the House an early opportunity of debate?

Mr. Eden

I accept none of the hon. Member's epithets, which are, of course, exclusively his own, but, as regards the subject matter, it may be that an opportunity will present itself for a statement by my right hon. Friend. We have a good deal of Business which we must get through, and we shall have to sit on more days if we are to get through it.

Captain Sir Ian Fraser

In view of the imminent publication of the Royal Warrant, will the Leader of the House tell us whether an early day can be fixed to discuss the Pensions Ministry?

Mr. Eden

I think I am to answer a Question about that on the next Sitting Day.

Mr. Clement Davies

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider finding an early day for consideration of the shipping position and the steps that are being taken to facilitate replacement and repairs?

Mr. Eden

I think the hon. and learned Member knows the difficulty of this. We are not anxious to multiply the number of Secret Sessions, and this is not a subject which, in the view of the Government, can be usefully debated in public.