PLACE OF SITTING (Hansard, 23 September 1948)

The Lord President of the Council (Mr.

Herbert Morrison): I beg to move, That on Monday, 25th October, or such other day as may be notified as convenient for closing this Session, this House do meet in St. Stephen's Hall at Twelve o'clock and that no Questions be taken. The House will be aware from previous statements which I have made that we expect to adjourn tomorrow until Monday, 25th October. It is expected that on that day Prorogation will take place and that a new Session will be opened by His Majesty on Tuesday, 26th October. Next Session will be opened with some approach to pre-war ceremonial, as has been the case since 1945 except for the present special Session. But it is inconvenient for the opening to take place with ceremony in the small Chamber at present occupied by their Lordships, and accordingly, as on previous occasions, we vacate this Chamber where we now sit and sit in St. Stephen's Hall. As the House will appreciate, a great deal of work is involved in preparing this Chamber for the Lords and in preparing St. Stephen's Hall for our use, but the Ministry of Works are able to carry out their task with what is, I think hon. Members will agree, commendable rapidity.

When Prorogation and the opening of a new Session take place on consecutive days, in view of the work which has to be done, it is more convenient for us to assemble in St. Stephen's Hall on both days. This is the purpose of His Majesty's Message and the Motion which I shall subsequently move. It will be necessary for the second Motion to be made a Standing Order so that the proposal may have validity next Session. We shall, in fact, be restoring Standing Order 113, which was repealed in the special circumstances between the end of last Session and the opening of this special Session. On Monday, 25th October, we propose to meet in St. Stephen's Hall at 12 noon. This will be a formal sitting, and, according to precedent, no Questions will be taken.

1095 On Tuesday, 26th October, His Majesty will open the new Session in this Chamber. Mr. Speaker will take the Chair in St. Stephen's Hall shortly before 11.0 a.m. As is customary after attending His Majesty, Mr. Speaker will not resume the Chair until four o'clock in St. Stephen's Hall to enable this Chamber to be prepared once again for our use. The House will be technically in session in St. Stephen's Hall, the Mace remaining on the Table, and when Mr. Speaker resumes the Chair in St. Stephen's Hall he will forthwith adjourn the House, without putting any Question to this Chamber. We shall, therefore, begin the business of the new Session in this Chamber shortly after four o'clock on Tuesday, 26th October. We shall, of course, occupy St. Stephen's Hall for only a short time on both days, namely on Monday, 25th October, and Tuesday, 26th October. I hope the arrangements will commend themselves generally to the House.