HC Deb 14 February 1946 vol 419 cc540-6
Mr. Eden

May I ask the Leader of the House to tell us about the Business for next week?

Mr. H. Morrison

The Business for next week will be as follows:

Monday and Tuesday, 18th and 19th February—Report stage of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Bill. I may say that a White Paper explaining the principal Amendments to be moved by the Government which relate to death benefits will be available in the Vote Office this evening.

Wednesday and Thursday, 20th and 21st February—A Debate on Foreign Affairs and Palestine will take place on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House.

Friday, 22nd February—Third Reading of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Bill.

During the week we shall ask the House to take Motions to approve the Double Taxation Relief Orders and the Electoral Registration Regulations, 1946.

Mr. Eden

With regard to the Debate on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday and Thursday, has the Leader of the House any proposals in his mind to canalise that Debate as between Foreign Affairs and Palestine? I think the House would feel a little unhappy if the two were muddled together, and if the time were divided, in any proportion thought fit, it would perhaps be a better arrangement.

Mr. Morrison

I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman. I have understood all along that the House wishes these two subjects to be divided if possible. Therefore, the arrangement which I hope will commend itself to the House—taking the view of what I think is the right proportion between the general Debate on Foreign Affairs, which must be extensive, and Palestine, which is somewhat more limited—is that the general Debate on Foreign Affairs, without prejudice possibly to whatever may be said in the opening speech for the Government on the general issue, should be on Wednesday and on Thursday up to 6.30 p.m., and that we should suspend the Rule for an hour on Thursday so that, therefore, the Debate on Palestine could proceed from 6.30 until 10.15 on Thursday.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Could the Leader of the House indicate if tomorrow's Debate on agriculture and the Government statement will refer to the United Kingdom agricultural policy, and. if so, in view of the peculiar conditions involved, whether a Scottish Minister will take part in the Debate?

Mr. Morrison

Naturally we would wish to meet the convenience of the House, but the arrangement was that the Minister of Agriculture would open the Debate and the Parliamentary Secretary would conclude. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman would raise that question in the appropriate quarter, and we will see, if it is necessary, whether an adjustment can be made, but, as preparations have been made on the basis which I have indicated, they may be a little difficult to adjust.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

May I point out to the right hon. Gentleman that it is because representations have been made and have not succeeded, that I deliberately put the question to him publicly this afternoon? Can we have an assurance that since Scottish agriculture is involved, a Scottish Minister will take part in the Debate?

Mr. Morrison

It depends on what is convenient to the House and to the Ministers. If it means a third Ministerial speech I do not think the House would be very pleased. It just depends on whether it would be right in the first place, and whether it would be convenient in the second place, to switch one of the English Ministers and to replace him by a Scottish Minister. We will see.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Reverting to the Debate next week on Palestine, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that most of us consider that, in the circumstances as they have now developed, the suggestion he has made is an admirable one and amply fulfils the pledge he gave? May I at the same time ask him whether it is intended that there shall be a separate reply on the Palestine Debate at the end of the day? Will the general Foreign Affairs Debate be summed up or be replied to by the Minister before 6.30, and will there then be a separate Governmental answer on Palestine?

Mr. Morrison

I will certainly do my best to meet that reasonable request, and I am glad that my hon. Friend is, on the whole, satisfied with the arrangements proposed.

Wing-Commander Hulbert

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the Government will take the Civil Aviation Bill?

Mr. Morrison

I cannot say.

Mr. McAllister

Would the Leader of the House give an assurance that, in view of the growing concern at the failure of the Government's policy on town and country planning and the location of industry, and the danger of their being swamped by the Government's very praiseworthy housing programme, he will find facilities for a Debate on that subject?

Mr. Morrison

That can easily be provided for by the House itself by taking a Supply Day on that subject. The only trouble is that 1 am afraid it might get into the field of legislation. As my hon. Friend knows, there was a statement in the King's Speech to the effect that there would be legislation on the subject this Session. I still hope there will be.

Mr. Snadden

Can the right hon. Gentleman indicate when we are to have a Debate on forest policy?

Mr. Morrison

The idea was that that would be one of the subjects for one of the Supply Days which are now not very far off.

Mr. Stokes

Reverting to the question of the Debate on Foreign Affairs next week, may I ask the Leader of the House whether we are to understand from what he said with regard to that section of the Debate which will refer to Palestine, that the Government's reference to Palestine policy will be contained in the Foreign Secretary's opening statement, and that there will not be an additional Front Bench speech? Otherwise it will shut everybody out.

Mr. Morrison

I am not quite sure about that, but we will certainly bear my hon. Friend's point in mind.

Colonel Ropner

Are we to understand that forestry will be excluded altogether from the statement on agriculture which will be made tomorrow?

Mr. Morrison

I understood that the Government's statement would be in relation to the declaration on long-term agricultural policy that was made by the Minister of Agriculture. The Debate will be on a Motion to approve that statement. It will be a question for Mr. Speaker to decide, but I would have thought it would be bound to be confined to the pronouncement by the right hon. Gentleman the Minister of Agriculture.

Earl Winterton

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of us have been pressing successive Governments for years to have full day's Debate on forestry, and we hope we shall get it?

Mr. Morrison

It is still a free country, and it is not for me to teach the father of the House the rules of Parliamentary Business, but he has only to persuade his Whips to find a Supply Day on which forestry can be debated, and he is well away.

Mr. Eden

With respect, the right hon. Gentleman is not being quite fair. When this Business was rearranged we did forgo a second agricultural day and it was understood that some opportunity— naturally when it could be fitted in—for a second day would be given for the discussion of forestry.

Mr. Morrison

Yes, Sir, that is true. 1 understood, and was very glad to understand, that a second opportunity might be given in relation to a Supply Day. What are Supply Days for if they are not to discuss things of this kind. That is eminently what they are for, and I do not think it is unreasonable to say that forestry might be discussed on a Supply Day.

Mr. Eden

That is all right if the right hon. Gentleman realises it is impossible to discuss forestry in the light of the proposals of the Government without discussing legislation, which cannot be discussed on a Supply Day.

Mr. Morrison

Even that difficulty can be got over without prejudice to that principle. Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman would see that a consultation takes place through the usual channels and we, as ever, will do our best to meet his convenience.

Mr. Driberg

With regard to the Foreign Affairs Debate, would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that in the last Foreign Affairs Debate there was practically no mention of the Far East? There was one speech on Japan, and five, I think, on Jugoslavia. Would it be convenient to consider allocating a few hours ' of one of the two days to discuss the Far East?

Mr. Morrison

I think we have gone as far as we dare in the direction of regionalisation. If we start carving the world up in relation to Departments of the Foreign Office in this Debate we shall get into difficulties.

Major Tufton Beamish

Might I ask the right hon. Gentleman when he proposes to set aside a day for the postwar code of pay, allowances, Service pensions and gratuities of members of the Forces? The White Paper on this matter was issued some eight or nine weeks ago. This is a most important subject of great interest to a large number of men

Mr. Morrison

The White Paper has been published some time and I have not gathered that there has been any widespread unhappiness about it. I must be careful about accepting the view that if the Government publish a White Paper there is to be a Debate. The net result of that would be that there would be no more White Papers, if we are not careful. There will be a Debate on defence policy, which is being discussed, and the matter could come into that Debate.

Mr. Chamberlain

Can I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether dates have been fixed for the Second Reading of the two new Housing Bills?

Mr. Morrison

No, Sir. They have not actually been fixed but they will not be long.

Mr. De la Bère

Are there two new houses?

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

Reverting for a moment to the question of the Debate on agriculture tomorrow from the point of view of Scotland, I think the answer of the Minister is thoroughly unsatisfactory. I think we are entitled to have the Minister for Scotland replying in connection with Scottish agriculture. I sincerely hope the right hon. Gentleman will re consider that. I think it is our right, not a matter of convenience.

Mr. Morrison

I will see what I can do about it. Scottish Members must be a little quicker in the uptake about this. It was announced some little time ago, and this is the first I have heard about it.

Earl Winterton

Last week.

Mr. Morrison

I know, but it really is not so easy when pressure is brought the day before. If I had known before it would have been easier.

Colonel Gomme-Duncan

We did it before.

Mr. Morrison

There will no doubt be Debates on Scottish agriculture. I will look into the matter, and naturally if it is possible at this late stage to meet the wishes of Scottish Members I will do so.

Major Cecil Poole

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that if we are to have Ministers making opening and closing speeches for every country in the British Isles back benchers will never have a chance of making a speech?