§ Mr. ChurchillMay I ask the Leader of the House to state the Business of the House for the first week after the Recess?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)The Business for the first week after the Recess will be as follows:
On Tuesday, 9th October—Second Reading of the Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
On Wednesday and Thursday, 10th and 11th October—Second Reading of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
On Friday, 12th October—Second Readings of the following Bills: Indian Franchise Bill, which is expected to be received from another place to-morrow, Indian Divorce Bill, British Settlements Bill, Inshore Fishing Industry Bill and Committee of the necessary Money Resolution, and, if there is time, Agriculture (Artificial Insemination) Bill and Commitee of the necessary Money Resolution.
§ Mr. ChurchillThe right hon. Gentleman has announced a very long list of Bills for the short Sitting on Friday. I hope he does not suppose that any kind of guarantee can be given that it will be possible to deal with all those topics on a Friday. The Inshore Fishing Industry Bill, for instance, which is not a party Measure at all, like most of the others, will arouse a good deal of interest among people connected with the fishing industry. Perhaps I may be permitted to make it clear that we cannot accept any responsibility for the discharge on Friday of all that quantity of Business.
§ Mr. MorrisonWe will all do our best. I am told that the first three Bills are non-controversial, and it was hoped they would go through pretty quickly. With regard to the last Bill, the Agriculture (Artificial Insemination) Bill, it is a fact, though it does not bind this Parliament, that it did have a Second Reading in the 801 last Parliament. However, I have said in respect of the last Bill, "if there is time."
§ Mr. Clement DaviesMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, when the House resumes, he will consider granting a Parliamentary day on which we could hear the Government's policy in regard to agriculture and have a discussion upon it? There are certain aspects of this matter that are really urgent, because of the uncertainty in the minds of farmers at the present time——
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and learned Gentleman cannot be given time to make a speech.
§ Mr. DaviesThen may I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that land is coming into the market and that there is a ban at the present moment upon county councils purchasing certain land?
§ Mr. MorrisonI will make a note of the point which the hon. and learned Gentleman has raised and see what we can do about it, but it is a question of getting the essential Business of the Government advanced.
§ Mr. MaxtonI should like to ask the Leader of the House if I am right in concluding that the position of the Leader of the Opposition, with its dignities, responsibilities, duties and emoluments, has been fully restored and by what process the House reverses the decision that was made by the previous Prime Minister to suspend the operation of that position?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition did himself make a statement on this matter from which it was perfectly clear that he is the Leader of the Opposition and he did mention that with that went the usual responsibilities and the financial provisions for that office. I imagine that is a. purely administrative matter which has been taken care of.
§ Mr. MaxtonMy difficulty——
§ Mr. SpeakerI cannot see what this has to do with the question of the Business of the House.
§ Mr. MaxtonI am on the question of the Business in the week after we assemble because the Leader of the Opposition plays a certain part for the whole House of 802 Commons in this matter and I want to be quite sure that the position is quite, regular. Do I understand from the right hon. Gentleman——
§ Mr. SpeakerI must rule the hon. Member out of Order.
§ Mr. BowlesMay I ask my right hon. Friend, in view of the fact that a Motion carried last week on a Division took away a good deal of Private Members' time, whether he. is aware that the usual half hour's Adjournment, upon which he laid special emphasis, is cut into by the length of the time taken by a Division except when the Business on which there was a vote is exempted Business; and will my right hon. Friend move some Motion in the new term arranging for the whole half-hour to be reserved for hon. Members upon the Adjournment Motion?
§ Mr. MorrisonI understand that the point my hon. Friend has in mind is that of Divisions eating into the 30 minutes. I will look into that, and I may add that I will look into it not unsympathetically from the point of view of my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartWith regard to the Inshore Fishing Industry Bill, in view of the fact that fishermen are so widely scattered throughout the country may we be assured that the Bill will be presented to us quickly so that we may consult the fishermen about it?
§ Mr. MorrisonMy right hon. Friend tells me that the Bill is almost identical with the one presented on 17th May last Session. It is being presented to-day and copies should be available not later than to-morrow. My right hon. Friend hopes that it will be substantially non-controversial.
§ Mr. StewartIs the Report of the Committee that dealt with this matter, certainly as regards Scotland, now to be made available to the House?
§ Mr. MorrisonI will look into that.
§ Mr. ChurchillCould we also know when the text of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Bill will be before us?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe Bill is being presented to-day and copies will be made available during the Recess in good time before the Second Reading—about three 803 weeks. Some minor drafting Amendments are being made in the Bill, but the right hon. Gentleman can take it that it will be substantially the same Bill as his Government presented, and it will be available well before the time when the Second Reading comes on.