HC Deb 30 May 1946 vol 423 cc1361-6
Mr. Churchill

May I now ask the Leader of the House whether he is in a position to make a statement about the Business for next week?

Mr. H. Morrison

Yes, Sir. The Business for next week will be as follows:

Monday, 3rd June—Second Reading of the Hill Farming Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution. Committee and remaining stages of the Ministerial Salaries Bill.

Tuesday, 4th June—Debate on Foreign. Affairs on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will open the Debate.

Wednesday, 5th June—It is proposed to take an Allotted Supply Day formally, following the suggestion made by the Leader of the Opposition. We shall then resume the Debate on Foreign Affairs on the Motion for the Adjournment. I think it will be generally agreeable to the House that two days should be allowed for the Debate on Foreign Affairs.

Thursday, 6th June—Supply (10th Allotted Day); Committee. The Estimates for Scottish Agriculture, Transport Services to the Western Highlands and Islands and Scottish Education will be considered.

Friday, 7th June—Motion for the Whitsun Adjournment until Tuesday, 18th June.

Perhaps, while I am on my feet, I may say that, as the House is aware, we shall be in Committee of Supply tomorrow, and I understand that it is the wish of the Opposition, to which of course, we agree, that there should be a Debate on food.

Mr. Churchill

; May I say that we wish to debate the general food situation and the conduct of the Ministry of Food during the late Minister's tenure of office? We have asked for this facility from His Majesty's Government in view of the general desire in all parts of the House to have this matter further examined. I would like to thank the Leader of the House for the arrangements which have been made for the two days' Debate on foreign affairs with an opening statement by the Foreign Secretary, and also for the satisfactory agreement which has been reached between both sides by which we give one of the Supply Days and the Government find the other from their time.

Mr. Morrison

I am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman. With regard to the Debate tomorrow, the Minister of Food will be available to the House. But I thought it was the wish of the House that I should make a statement. In fact. I anticipated being under heavy fire in regard to my mission to Washington and Ottawa, and that the House would wish me to make a rather more extended report on the purpose of that mission. I do rot know whether that is in conformity with the wishes of the Opposition?

Mr. Churchill

Of course, the main fact before us is the resignation of the Minister of Food. [HON. MEMBERS: "NO."] I have no doubt that the House will be delighted to hear any further remarks the Lord President of the Council may make on his mission to the United States, and particularly any clarifications he can give. I must confess, I still remain in mystery over it. I was not at all contemplating making a vigorous onslaught on the right hon. Gentleman, and I would not like his night's rest to be disturbed by that.

Mr. Morrison

The right hon. Gentleman can take it that, had it been so, my night's rest would have been improved. I am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman for having given the information, and I will try to conduct myself, accordingly, in the same spirit. I ought to make it clear that we have no intention of debating the resignation of the late Minister of Food. It is, of course, perfectly competent for the Opposition to discuss the work of the Ministry of Food, if the Opposition wish to do so. But I think it is a novel idea that we should be expected to debate the resignation of my right hon. Friend the late Minister of Food.

Mr. Churchill

Is it not also a novel idea that high Ministers of the Crown should disappear through a trap door, and no word be heard of them?

Mr. Morrison

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister reminds me that if any precedents are wanted for these things, there were plenty and to spare under the administration of the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr. Churchill

I have had some exploration made of the precedents, and the Prime Minister's recollection is not, I think, accurate. In no case, even during wartime, were Ministers changed, except as part of widespread reconstructions of the Government. We are at peace now. Ministers ought to have the self-respect, when they leave their positions, to explain why.

Mr. Scollan

On a point of Order. Is it in Order to have this disgraceful kind of cross-table talk every day?

Mr. Speaker

On former occasions, I have intervened when I thought fit, but it is for me to decide if and when.

Mr. Rhys Davies

In view of the very serious implications contained in the statement made by the Minister of Labour a few moments ago, can the Leader of the House promise us a Debate on the issue of conscription?

Mr. Morrison

The announcement of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour is an announcement of administrative action to be taken under the existing law. But it would be appropriate, if there is agreement about it—and the Opposition, of course, have a great tradition in that respect and I agree it is an important statement—it may be thought convenient to have such a Debate on an early Supply Day after Whitsun. It might be possible to arrange it, and discussion could be had through the usual channels, if it were still consistent on a Supply Day, for the policy of the Government to be challenged in the usual way. But the question of a Supply Day is one for the Opposition.

Mr. Churchill

We will certainly consider the importance of the announcement which has been made.

Professor Savory

May I ask the Leader of the House when he proposes that we should be allowed to discuss the aviation agreement with Eire, which we hoped to discuss tomorrow? Much disappointment has been felt because that cannot be done tomorrow.

Mr. Morrison

I should think that if the hon. Member were quick enough in giving notice to Mr. Speaker, he might conceivably be in luck in having it discussed on the Adjournment next week. Otherwise,; I am afraid it will have to wait until after the Whitsun Recess, and would depend on a Supply Day.

Mr. Stephen

Would the right hon. Gentleman afford an opportunity for discussing the Motion on conscription in the names of the hon. Members for Shettleston (Mr. McGovern) and Bridgeton (Mr. Maxton) and myself, which would give an opportunity for the discussion of the important statement made earlier by the Minister of Labour?

Mr. Morrison

I am afraid not. The action which is to be taken is the Ministerial responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour. If a Ministry of Labour Supply Day is taken for this t purpose, then the appropriate course would be to challenge the Minister by moving a reduction in his salary in the usual way. Therefore the challenge can c be made, but this is administrative action, and it is eminently a matter for a Supply Day.

Mr. Godfrey Nicholson

May I ask if there will be some Minister present to-r morrow who can answer questions or criticisms in regard to the work of the Combined Food Board and the food situation in India? I am at a loss to know whether the Minister of Food in this country has any responsibility or can answer questions about the Indian food situation, and who could answer questions in the course of the Debate.

Mr. Morrison

The Minister of Food and I will both be here. Between us we will be able to cover the main points mentioned by the hon. Member. At the moment, I think it will fall to me to deal with the Combined Food Board and the Indian situation.

Mr. Foot

Referring to the Debate on foreign affairs next week, in view of the great number of Members who have wished to take part in such Debates in the past, will the Leader of the House say whether he is willing to suspend the Rule on Tuesday?

Mr. Morrison

I follow my hon. Friend's point, and am not without sympathy with him, but it is a two days' Debate, and I should have thought that with the slightly longer day we now have, it would be all right. I am most anxious not to suspend the Rule. I gave an undertaking to my hon. Friends when I had a tussle about the time of meeting of the House. I am afraid we have not altogether lived up to it and I do not want to break it if I can help it.

Mr. K. Lindsay

The right hon. Gentleman said in regard to the statement by the Minister of Labour that it is administrative action, but could he reconsider his decision? Not only the hon. Members for Shettleston (Mr. Govern) and Bridgeton (Mr. Max-ton) but other hon. Members feel that this raises wide implications, as was revealed by the large number of supplementary questions which were asked. Whether a Supply Day is taken or not, could the right hon. Gentleman find time for a general discussion?

Mr. Morrison

The right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition has been good enough to say that he will be favourably disposed to arrange through the usual" channels for a Supply Day to discuss it. If so, I see no reason why the discussion should not be made subject to Mr. Speaker. But if there were any difficulty about that, we would be willing to confer with Mr. Speaker and with the various parties on the point.

Mr. Churchill

Had we not better read the White Paper first?

Mr. Morrison

I quite agree.

Mr. Leslie Hale

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether an opportunity will be given to discuss the question of the working party on the cotton industry which seems to fix the maximum ceiling at a quarter of a million workers, which is quite inconsistent with present needs?

Mr. Morrison

I do not see any immediate prospect of that.

Mr. Stokes

Reverting to the question raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Devonport (Mr. Foot), would the Lord President of the Council consider again suspending the Rule on Tuesday? There is no question of a vote being taken on Tuesday night, and a large number of Members will want to speak. Two days always prove inadequate.

Mr. Morrison

There have been plenty of two day Debates on foreign affairs in the ordinary way. I appreciate that there are a large number of hon. Members who are interested and keen on foreign affairs, but I think it is adequate. One has to consider with a sympathetic heart the Members of the House as a whole. They have had some pretty late Sittings. I doubt if it can be done, but I will consider it.

Mr. Janner

In view of the increasing despair of the victims of Nazi persecution, the Jewish victims in Germany and other countries and in view of the fact that the President of the United States and the State Department of the United States have declared that they are in favour of the 100,000 Jewish emigrants being allowed to enter Palestine, will my right hon. Friend assure us that we shall have an early opportunity of considering the report of the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry?

Mr. Morrison

I will certainly take note of what my hon. Friend has said, and take it into consideration. There are discussions going on now between His Majesty's Government and the United States Government, and I think that the House would agree that it would not be desirable to have a Debate while these discussions are proceeding.

Mr. Janner

Will my right hon. Friend say that he will try to press these discussions on as rapidly as possible?

Mr. Morrison

I am not conducting them.