HC Deb 01 July 1948 vol 452 cc2373-7
Mr. Churchill

Can the Leader of the House make a statement on the Business for next week?

The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

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

Monday, 5th July and Tuesday, 6th July—A debate will take place on European Economic Co-operation which will arise on the Motion standing on the Order Paper in the name of my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister.

Wednesday, 7th July—Second Reading of the British Nationality Bill [Lords];

Report stage of Army Expenditure 1946–47;

Consideration of the Lords Amendments to the Employment and Training Bill;

Motion to approve the Greenwich Hospital Accounts.

Thursday, 8th July—Supply (20th Allotted Day):—Committee. A debate will take place on Colonial Affairs.

Friday, 9th July—Committee and remaining stages of the Export Guarantees Bill and the Agricultural Wages Bill [Lords];

Report and Third Reading of the Veterinary Surgeons Bill [Lords];

Committee and remaining stages of the Factories Bill [Lords].

At the end of Business on Monday the Government hope that there will be an opportunity for the House to consider a Motion to set up a Select Committee to revise the Standing Orders. The House will recall that on 4th November last, when we considered amendments to Standing Orders, I proposed to the House that we should set up a small Technical Committee to revise the Standing Orders following the changes then made, and mentioned that Mr. Speaker had kindly consented to preside over the Committee. Revision is long overdue and the amendments to the Standing Orders, although only of a technical nature, have been found to be so numerous that the Government, after consultation with Mr. Speaker, consider that it would be more appropriate to set up a Select Committee. I hope that the House will agree to this proposal.

Mr. Stanley

Could I ask the right hon. Gentleman one question about the Debate on Monday and Tuesday? In view of the form in which the Motion has been set down, is it the intention of the Government—subject, of course, to Mr. Speaker's Ruling—that the Debate should take a wide form, and that the general economic situation of the country—in regard, of course, to this help that is to be given—should be discussed?

Mr. Morrison

Yes, Sir. It will be seen, as no doubt the right hon. Gentleman has apprehended, that in the Motion there appear these words: and having regard to the need to the achievement and maintenance of a satisfactory level of economic activity"— and so on. The Government thought that, as there had been some request in the House that we should debate the general economic situation, and as the Anglo-American Agreement obviously must be taken in that setting, it would meet the general convenience of the House if the Motion were rather wide so that, subject to Mr. Speaker's Ruling, the Debate could cover the aspect to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred.

Major Legge-Bourke

In view of the fact that if we are to discuss the Eire Trade Agreement at all, we cannot do so under the Vote of any one Ministry, will the Leader of the House say whether it is proposed to find time to debate that Agreement?

Mr. Morrison

No, Sir. I am not advised that Parliamentary approval is necessary. Of course, it could be debated on Supply; but it is one of numerous agreements that deal with these matters of trade relations between our country and another, and I do not think it is a subject which lends itself to a reasonable request to the Government to provide special time; nor do I think there is any controversy about it.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Wilt my right hon. Friend consider suspending the Rule on Monday and Tuesday to enable a few more back benchers to speak?

Mr. Morrison

No, Sir. I think that two days are adequate for this subject, and there may be some other Business to be taken after 10 o'clock.

Mr. Stokes

Will the right hon. Gentleman make quite sure, by examining other than the usual channels, how many people want to speak?—because on the last occasion when he said he would examine the usual channels and he said that he did not think it was necessary to suspend the Rule, in fact over 70 hon. Members had got their names down and my right hon. Friend did not know it. Would he make sure that on Monday he does know?

Mr. Morrison

My hon. Friend and I are always doing battle upon this matter, and I do not always see eye to eye with him about it. I do not know that we can settle these things on a mathematical basis; one has to consider the general convenience of the House, and the House has not been exactly idle in recent times.

Mr. Stokes

Nobody need stay if they do not want to.

Mr. Morrison

A lot of people have got to stay when they do not want to; not everybody, but a lot of people.

Mr. Churchill

And a lot of people have to go when they do not want to.

Mr. Morrison

The right hon. Gentleman speaks feelingly from experience.

Major Legge-Bourke

Further to my previous Question, does not the Leader of the House appreciate that the Eire Trade Agreement covers other matters than those arising out of the Ministry of Food Vote; and, in view of that, if we want to discuss the whole thing, can he not allow a day for a proper discussion of it?

Mr. Morrison

If advice is needed on what Vote to put down in order to cover the ground, I am perfectly sure that advice can be obtained from the authorities of the House; and if the Government could assist the hon. and gallant Gentleman on that point we should be glad to do so.

Mr. Pritt

As one who does stay when the House sits late, could I ask the right hon. Gentleman to keep an open mind about Tuesday, so that if he does see that there is pressure, he might extend the time then?

Mr. Morrison

Well, we have always got fresh and receptive minds on everything, as I hope the hon. and learned Member has.

Mr. Gallacher

Is the Leader of the House aware that a question was raised about the sittings of the Scottish Grand Committee; that the Chairman advised us it could only be dealt with in the House; and would he consider giving time to discuss a Motion standing in the name of the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) and myself in regard to the sittings of the Scottish Grand Committee, about where and under what conditions they should be held?

Mr. Morrison

This is news to me, and as it affects Scotland I should need to be thoroughly briefed about it before I said anything.

Mr. Crawley

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the Debate on Colonial Affairs will cover the entire Colonial Empire, including economic development, or whether we could get further time later on this year, to discuss the economic development of the Empire?

Mr. Morrison

The Vote is the Colonial Office Vote, and I suppose those things will be in Order. But no doubt the Opposition have views about the scope they intend to cover.

Mr. Stanley

I think it is for the convenience always of the Secretary of State for the Colonies that at any rate the first day should enable him to make a general statement about the whole Colonial field.

Mr. Morrison

Then that is all right.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

Will the Motion for setting up a Select Committee to inquire into the Standing Orders of the House be debated in the House; and will there be an opportunity of raising the question whether the Scottish Grand Committee should sit in Scotland?

Mr. Morrison

I should not have thought so. The Motion is, of course, debatable, but I was hoping there would be such a general consensus of opinion that a Debate might not arise. It is competent for a Debate to ensue; but I should have doubted whether the nature of this Motion would bring into its scope the particular point to which my hon. Friend refers. It is, of course, a matter for the Chair.