HC Deb 15 May 1947 vol 437 cc1710-4
Mr. Oliver Stanley

May I ask the acting Leader of the House if he will state the Business for next week?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. William Whiteley)

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

Monday, 19th May—Second Reading of the Finance Bill.

Tuesday, 20th May—Third Reading of the Town and Country Planning Bill and Consideration of Lords Amendments to the National Health Service (Scotland) Bill. As the House is aware, we hope to conclude the Committee stage of the National Service Bill tonight, and propose to take the Report and Third Reading of the Bill on Wednesday, 21st May.

Thursday, 22nd May—Conclusion of the Report stage and Third Reading of the Statistics of Trade Bill.

Friday, 23rd May—Adjournment for the Whitsun Recess until Tuesday, 3rd June.

During the week we shall ask the House to consider the Motion to approve the Timber (Charges) (No. 9) Order.

Mr. Stanley

I should like to ask the Chief Whip whether he really thinks that it is right to ask the House to go through the Report stage and Third Reading of the National Service Bill on the same day. The right hon. Gentleman must be aware that during the Committee stage a great many points were promised consideration on the Report stage, and a number of definite pledges were given that Amendments would be put down. It is clear that, if we are either to discuss the Amendments which the Government are going to put down, or hear the reasons why the Government cannot put Amendments down, the Report stage must take a considerable time. Would it not be possible, therefore, to have the Third Reading of this Bill on Thursday instead of on Wednesday?

Mr. Whiteley

We are not desirous of being unreasonable, and I think if there could be an arrangement, whereby we should get the National Service Bill and the Statistics of Trade Bill on Wednesday and Thursday, that would meet the requirements of the House.

Mr. Stanley

I cannot say anything about how much remains to be considered of the Statistics of Trade Bill, nor can I give any guarantee in that respect, but perhaps there might be consultation through the usual channels, to see what can be done.

Mr. Whiteley

The right hon. Gentleman will remember that we had a Friday on this Bill and then it was rather agreed to take it on the following Friday to clear it. There is not sufficient to justify taking a full day on it.

Mr. Mikardo

When conducting the negotiations through the usual channels, will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that many hon. Members on this side of the House feel like hon. Gentlemen opposite that the Report stage of the National Service Bill needs considerable time, if the changes forecast on the Committee stage are to be considered?

Mr. Whiteley

I think that the House may probably feel after proper marshalling of this Bill on the Report stage that it is not so cumbersome as they found it on the Committee stage.

Mr. Stanley

When are we likely to get the Amendments which the Government promised to put down?

Mr. Whiteley

After the Committee stage tonight, the Amendments that have been promised will be put on the Order Paper as early as possible. It may be that some of them will be on the Paper tomorrow and some the day after.

Sir G. Jeffreys

Can time be given for the consideration of a Motion which stands on the Order Paper in my name and those of a good many other hon. Members regarding the failure of Ministers in winding up Debates to deal with the points raised in the Debate?

[That, in the opinion of this House, the delivery of prepared speeches by Ministers winding up Debates, with consequent failure to deal with questions and points raised during those Debates, is a practice much to be deprecated, and that relevant matters raised in Debate ought to be referred to by the Minister winding up for the Government.]

Mr. Whiteley

That together with many other Motions will have to be considered. If there is time they will receive favourable consideration.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

Reverting to the National Service Bill, my right hon. Friend will remember that it is not only a question of the Report stage but that in the opinion of many of us, a Bill of such constitutional importance ought not to have a merely formal Third Reading. Since it is proposed to give the greater part of a day to the Third Reading of the Town and Country Planning Bill might we ask for the same time for the Third Reading of this far more important Bill?

Mr. Pickthorn

Will the Patronage Secretary remember that, so far, more space in HANSARD has been taken up by speakers on the other side of the House than by speakers on this side, on the National Service Bill; secondly, will he remember that there were at least 12 cases of more or less definite assurances from Government spokesmen, which is more than twice the number of Opposition Amendments which were rejected, and that, therefore, the argument for a longer Report stage and an interval between the Report stage and the Third Reading is much stronger than usual?

Mr. Whiteley

As the hon. Gentleman is probably aware, I was here most of the time and I know exactly how much time was occupied by all sections of the House.

Mr. Stanley

I do not know if the Chief Whip will agree but these are the figures—Government supporters, 295 columns; Conservative Members, 235; Liberals, 35.

Mr. Harold Davies

On a point of Order. [Interruption.] In spite of the usual jeers from the party opposite I think it is a duty we owe to the public to place on record the fact that an analysis of these figures shows that there were only 30 Conservatives present all through the night.