§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)I have a statement to make regarding the Business of the House.
The Opposition Motion relating to a Select Committee to inquire into the signatures to the Nenni telegram announced for consideration on Thursday after 7 o'clock, has been postponed until a later date. As the House is aware, an allotted Supply Day is being taken on Thursday and the whole of the Sitting will now be available for the consideration of the Estimate for the Central Office of Information. Tomorrow, if there is time, we propose to take the Report and Third Reading of the House of Commons Members' Fund Bill.
§ Mr. EdenThe hon. Member who was primarily concerned in the subject which was to have been discussed on Thursday cannot make himself available on that day. For that reason it seemed to be more reasonable and fair to the House as a whole to choose a day when he could make himself available so that the discussion could take place.
§ Mr. MorrisonI understand that the alteration was a result of an arrangement between the Opposition and the hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Platts-Mills).
§ Mr. BowlesMay I ask the Leader of the House when this arrangement was made? The Opposition were negligent in allowing the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the House to explain last Thursday that next Thursday would be used for a certain purpose if they had not taken the trouble to find out if the hon. Member would be available.
§ Mr. EdenOn the contrary, it is the duty of hon. Members to be present in the House. The change was made solely out of consideration for the hon. Member in the exceptional circumstances. The matter should be treated accordingly by the House.
§ Mr. GallacherMay I ask the Leader of the House, in view of the general acceptance of the proposal to discuss what are generally known as Communist fellow-travellers, whether we cannot at the same time discuss the Tories and their fellow crawlers in the attitude they have adopted at The Hague?