§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Mr. Beechman.]
§ Viscount Hinchingbrooke (Dorset, South)This is a magnificent opportunity for making half an hour's speech on foreign affairs, but I shall resist the temptation. I rise for a few minutes—and I am glad that the Minister of State, the Treasurer of the Household and a few Members are still present—to call attention to a piece of House of Commons machinery which, I think, needs a little improvement. At the beginning of our Business we move, 897 sometimes, the suspension of the Standing Order for a limited period of one or two hours, as the case may be. Once that Motion is on the Order Paper it has to be taken, and the effect of it to-day is that we have had two hours added to our normal time of Debate. There are at the moment in the Chamber four people who wanted to speak in the Foreign Affairs Debate, and others, possibly ten or more, who have been disappointed and who have gone away.
I suggest that we should make use f the machinery which, in fact, exists—we have discussed this in the past and the same situation occurred the other day in the Currency Debate—of not moving the suspension of the Rule at the commencement of Public Business but inviting the Government to watch the progress of the Debate, see how many Members wish to speak and then, in consultation with Mr. Speaker, moving a limited extension of time, for a definite period, say, up to three hours, to cater for Members who wish to take part in the Debate. This Motion to suspend the Rule could be moved, perhaps, in the middle of the day's Business. If we did that we should get much more flexibility into our debating arrangements, and we should not disappoint so many Members. I think it is important that there should be some indication to Members generally, at the beginning of the Debate, that the suspension of the Rule is likely to be removed during the course of the day, but I suggest that the length of the suspension should be left to the period late in the Debate. I do not ask for a reply to what I have said now, unless the Minister of State wishes to say something.
§ Mr. Mander (Wolverhampton, East)I would like to support what the Noble Lord has said, because there appears to be no real reason why the Debate on Foreign Affairs should not have continued for another hour, or another hour and a half. Members who have wanted to speak have waited for a long time, and are here now, and there are others who would have stayed. I think there is a great deal to be said for continuing the old Rule of allowing Debates to go on, on certain 898 occasions, for an unlimited period. Let the House go on as long as it likes. While suspension for a limited time has certain advantages, it has certain great disadvantages for the Private Member, in that whereas previously we used to go on as long as we liked, now we have to stop after a comparatively limited time. I hope, in the light of what has happened to-day, the Government will give serious consideration to acting on the lines the Noble Lord has put forward, so that on an occasion like this the House will have an opportunity of continuing for another hour.
§ Mr. Tinker (Leigh)When the Sitting is extended at a time like this and there is to be no official reply, to my mind there is no reason why the extension should not be unlimited. We only agreed to a time limit in cases where the Government wanted to know when the wind-up was to take place so that they could give their answer. When we do not expect a Government reply it would meet the wishes of the House to allow the Debate to go on as long as there are Members wishing to speak. I have not wanted to speak today. The subject matter is rather beyond me, but the great interest taken in it is evident and it would give more satisfaction to give Members who have sat all through the Debate a chance to make their speeches. We want to keep an interested House, and the House has been interested. It would have been a great service, if Members who desired to speak had been allowed to make their speeches.
§ The Minister of State (Mr. Richard Law)My Noble Friend, I know, does not expect me to comment on the very interesting suggestion that he has made. Of course, I will report what he and others have said to my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House, and I think the House knows that he will always try to meet its convenience. In this case I cannot speak for him and I do not know what difficulties there may be. I can only say that I will faithfully report what has been said.
§ Question, "That this House do now adjourn," put, and agreed to.