§ Mr. Oliver StanleyIn view of the Motion appearing on the Order Paper in the name of the Prime Minister, may I ask the Leader of the House what are the plans for Business today?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)We wish today to complete the Committee and Report stages and the Third Reading of the Motor Spirit Bill, which may take a little time. Then there is the House of Commons Members' Fund Bill, on which we do not anticipate any great trouble. I am very sorry to rush the House on the Motor Spirit Bill, but I am afraid it is inevitable. It has to go to another place, and I think that all of us on all sides of the House, are anxious to get such relaxation as we can in petrol rationing by the date at which the Government are aiming—namely, 1st June. Unless we get the Bill tonight, that date would be imperilled, and I am afraid we would have to postpone this welcome relaxation to the motoring population. Therefore, I ask for the good will and co-operation of the House in getting through tonight our programme for all the remaining stages of the Motor Spirit Bill, in addition to the Members' Fund Bill. We do not anticipate any controversy about the latter.
§ Mr. StanleyMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman a question which may have some bearing on the speed at which, it will be possible, with all the best will in the world, to conclude this Business? Is the House to have the advantage of the presence of the Minister of Fuel and Power who, we understand, has another engagement elsewhere in the building?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe right hon. Gentleman has touched on a very relevant point. My right hon. Friend is still engaged on the Gas Bill in Committee, which is taking its course not quite as quickly as we had hoped it would. The right hon. Gentleman and his friends know something about that, as do we. I am afraid that my
§ right hon. Friend will be occupied on the Gas Bill, but he will be ably represented here by the Law Officers of the Crown and by the Parliamentary Secretary. As it is largely a legal Bill, the Law Officers will be competent to deal with it. We will endeavour to give the House the maximum service we can.
§ Mr. StanleyThe right hon. Gentleman will not complain if, in the 'absence of the Minister primarily responsible for this Bill and because of the possibility of our not receiving explanations straight from the horse's mouth—if that is how one can describe information from the Minister of Fuel and Power—the proceedings take longer than anticipated.
§ Mr. MorrisonMy right hon. Friend will do his best to give such time to the House as he can, but I am sure the right hon. Gentleman appreciates the difficulty. We will do all we can to meet the proper requirements of the House, but I must point out once again that all parties are anxious that such relaxations as can be given to the motoring population should be given by the date we have set, 1st June.—[Interruption]—I beg hon. Members not to get into the wrong frame of mind about this. Unless we get the Bill expeditiously it will be impossible to give relaxations to motorists by that date. Therefore, I do not think it is unreasonable to ask for the good will and co-operation of all parties in the House.
§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Proceedings on Government Business be exempted, at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House).—[Mr. H. Morrison.]
§ The House divided: Ayes, 177; Noes, 80.
1741| Division No. 137. | AYES. | [3.41 p.m. |
| Acland, Sir Richard | Bowles, F. G. (Nuneaton) | Daggar, G. |
| Adams, W. T. (Hammersmith South) | Bramall, E. A. | Daines, P. |
| Allen, Scholefield (Crewe) | Brook, D. (Halifax) | Davies, Edward (Burslem) |
| Attewell, H. C. | Brooks, T. J. (Rothwell) | Davies, Ernest (Enfield) |
| Attlee, Rt. Hon. C. R | Brown, George (Belper) | Davies, Haydn (St. Pancras, S. W.) |
| Ayles, W. H. | Brown, T. J. (Ince) | Davies, S, O. (Merthyr) |
| Ayrton Gould, Mrs B | Bruce, Maj. D. W. T. | Deer, G. |
| Bacon, Miss A. | Butler, H. W. (Hackney, S.) | de Freitas, Geoffrey |
| Balfour, A. | Byers, Frank | Diamond, J. |
| Barnes, Rt. Hon. A. J | Callaghan, James | Dodds, N. N. |
| Barstow, P. G. | Castle, Mrs. B. A. | Dugdale, J. (W. Bromwich) |
| Barton, G. | Chamberlain, R. A | Dumpleton, C. W. |
| Battley, J. R. | Champion, A. J. | Edwards, John (Blackburn) |
| Bechervaise, A. E | Chetwynd, G. R. | Edwards, W. J. (Whitechapel) |
| Benson, G. | Cluse, W. S | Evans, Albert (Islington, W.) |
| Beswick, F. | Cocks, F. S. | Evans, John (Ogmore) |
| Bing, G. H. C. | Collindridge, F. | Farthing, W. J. |
| Blackburn, A. R. | Comyns, Dr. L. | Fletcher, E. G. M. (Islington, E.) |
| Bowen, R. | Crawley, A. | Foot, M. M. |
| Gaitskell, Rt. Hon. H. T. N | Lipson, D. L. | Strachey, Rt. Hon. J. |
| Ganley, Mrs. C. S. | Lipton, Lt.-Col. M. | Stross, Dr. B. |
| George, Lady M. Lloyd (Anglesey) | McAdam, W. | Stubbs, A. E. |
| Gilzean, A. | McGhee, H. G. | Summerskill, Dr. Edith |
| Glanville, J. E. (Consett) | Mack, J. D. | Sylvester, G. O. |
| Gordon-Walker, P. C. | McLeavy, F. | Symonds, A. L. |
| Greenwood, A. W. J. (Haywood) | Mallalieu, E. L. (Brigg) | Taylor, H. B. (Mansfield) |
| Grey, C. F. | Mallalieu, J. P. W. (Huddersfield) | Taylor, R. J. (Morpeth) |
| Guest, Dr. L. Haden | Manning, Mrs. L. (Epping) | Thomas, Ivor (Keighley) |
| Gunter, R. J. | Mayhew, C. P. | Thomas, George (Cardiff) |
| Guy, W. H. | Mellish, R. J. | Thorneycroft, Harry (Clayton) |
| Haire, John E. (Wycombe) | Mitchison, G. R. | Thurtle, Ernest |
| Hannan, W. (Maryhill) | Morrison, Rt. Hon. H. (Lewisham E.) | Tiffany, S |
| Hardman, D. R. | Moyle, A. | Titterington, M. F. |
| Hardy, E. A. | Noel-Baker, Capt. F. E. (Brentford) | Tolley, L. |
| Harrison, J. | Oldfield, W. H. | Usborne, Henry |
| Hastings, Dr. Somerville | Oliver, G. H. | Vernon, Maj. W. F. |
| Henderson, Rt. Hn A. (Kingswinford) | Parkin, B. T. | Viant, S. P. |
| Hicks, G. | Paten, Mrs. F. (Rushcliffe) | Walkden, E. |
| Holman, P, | Paton, J. (Norwich) | Wallace, G. D. (Chislehurst) |
| Holmes, H. E. (Hemsworth) | Pearson, A. | Weitzman, D. |
| House, G. | Peart, T. F. | Wells, P, L. (Faversham) |
| Hoy, J. | Perrins, W. | Wheatley, Rt. Hn. J. T. (Edinb'gh, E.) |
| Hudson, J. H. (Ealing, W.) | Popplewell, E. | White, C. F. (Derbyshire, W.) |
| Hughes, Hector (Aberdeen, N.) | Porter, E. (Warrington) | White, H. (Derbyshire, N. E.) |
| Hughes, H. D. (W'lverh'pton, W.) | Porter, G. (Leeds) | Whiteley, Rt. Hon. W. |
| Hynd, J. B. (Atterclilte) | Price, M. Philips | Wigg, George |
| Irvine, A. J. (Liverpool) | Reeves, J. | Willey, F. T. (Sunderland) |
| Irving, W. J. (Tottenham, N.) | Reid, T. (Swindon) | Willey, O. G. (Cleveland) |
| Janner, B. | Rhodes, H. | Williams, J. L. (Kelvingrove) |
| Jeger, G. (Winchester) | Ridealgh, Mrs. M. | Williams, R. W. (Wigan) |
| Jones, D. T. (Hartlepool) | Roberts, Goronwy (Caernarvonshire) | Williams, Rt. Hon. T. (Don Valley) |
| Jones, Elwyn (Plaistow) | Rogers, G. H. R, | Wilson, Rt. Hon. J. H. |
| Jones, J. H. (Bolton) | Ross, William (Kilmarnock) | Wise, Major F. J. |
| Jenkins, R. H. | Sharp, Granville | Woodburn, A. |
| Key, C. W. | Shawcross, Rt. Hn. Sir H. (St. Helens) | Wyatt, W. |
| King, E. M. | Skeffington-Lodge, T. C. | Young, Sir R. (Newton) |
| Kinley, J. | Skinnard, F. W. | Younger, Hon. Kenneth |
| Lawson, Rt. Hon. J. J. | Snow, J. W. | |
| Levy, B. W. | Soskice, Sir Frank | TELLERS FOR THE AYES: |
| Lewis, A. W. J. (Upton) | Sparks, J. A. | Mr. Simmons and |
| Mr. Richard Adams. | ||
| NOES. | ||
| Amory, D. Heathcoat | Hinchingbrooke, Viscount | Nutting, Anthony. |
| Assheton, Rt. Hon. R. | Hollis, M. C. | Odey, G. W. |
| Baldwin, A. E. | Holmes, Sir J. Stanley (Harwich) | O'Neill, Rt. Hon. Sir H |
| Baxter, A. B. | Hope, Lord J. | Peake, Rt. Hon. O. |
| Boyd-Carpenter, J. A | Hudson, Rt. Hon. R. S. (Southport) | Peto, Brig. C. H. M. |
| Braithwaite, Lt.-Comdr. J. G. | Hutchison, Lt.-Cm. Clark (E'b'rgh, W.) | Pickthorn, K. |
| Bromley-Davenport, Lt.-Col. W. | Joynson-Hicks, Hon. L. W. | Rayner, Brig. R. |
| Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. | Lambert, Hon. G. | Reed, Sir S. (Aylesbury) |
| Butcher, H. W. | Lancaster, Col. C. G. | Reid, Rt. Hon. J. S. C. (Hillhead) |
| Carson, E. | Legge-Bourke, Maj. E. A. H | Robinson, Roland |
| Channon, H. | Lennox-Boyd, A. T. | Ross, Sir R. D. (Londonderry) |
| Clarke, Col. R. S. | Lucas-Tooth, Sir H. | Shepherd, W. S. (Bucklow) |
| Crowder, Capt. John E | MacAndrew, Col. Sir C | Smith, E. P. (Ashford) |
| Cuthbert, W. N. | Mackeson, Brig. H. R. | Smithers, Sir W. |
| De la Bère, R. | Maclay, Hon. J. S. | Stanley, Rt. Hon. O. |
| Dodds-Parker, A. D | MacLeod, J. | Studholme, H. G. |
| Drewe, C. | Maitland, Comdr. J. W. | Sutcliffe, H. |
| Duthie, W. S. | Manningham-Buller, R. E | Thorp, Brigadier R. A. F. |
| Fleming, Sqn.-Ldr E. L. | Marlowe, A. A. H. | Touche, G. C. |
| Fraser, Sir I. (Lonsdale) | Marples, A. E. | Turton, R. H. |
| Galbraith, Cmdr. T. D. | Marsden, Capt. A. | Vane, W. M. F. |
| Glyn, Sir R. | Marshall, D. (Bodmin) | Webbe, Sir H. (Abbey) |
| Gomme-Duncan, Col. A | Medlicott, Brigadier F. | Wheatley, Colonel M. J. (Dorset, E.) |
| Grimston, R. V. | Mellor, Sir J. | Willoughby de Eresby, Lord |
| Harden, J. R E. | Morrison, Maj. J. G. (Salisbury) | |
| Harris, F. W. (Croydon, N.) | Morrison, Rt. Hon. W. S. (Cirencester) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES |
| Harris, H. Wilson (Cambridge Univ.) | Neven-Spence, Sir B. | Major Ramsay and |
| Head, Brig. A. H | Noble, Comdr. A. H. P | Major Conant. |