§ Mr. ChurchillHas the Leader of the House any information to give us about the probable course of Business next week?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)Yes, Sir. The Business for next week will be as follows:
- Monday, 31st January—Report and Third Reading of the Special Roads Bill, and consideration of Motions to approve the Double Taxation Orders and the Purchase Tax (Drugs and Medicines bearing Trade Marks) Order.
- Tuesday, 1st February—Committee and remaining stages of the Solicitors, Public Notaries, &c., Bill.
- Second Reading of the Juries Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution, and consideration of Motion to approve the National Insurance (Mariners) Amendment Regulations.
- Wednesday, 2nd February—Second Reading of the Export Guarantees Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
- Report and Third Reading of the Education (Scotland) Bill, and a Motion will be proposed to refer the Tenancy of Shops (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Standing Committee for Second Reading under the provisions of Standing Order No. 60.
- Thursday, 3rd February—A Debate will take place on the Report of the Tribunal appointed to inquire into allegations reflecting on the official conduct of Ministers of the Crown and other public servants; and, if there is time, the Committee and remaining stages of the Minister of Food (Financial Powers) Bill.
- Friday, 4th February—Committee and remaining stages of the National Theatre Bill, and Second Reading of the War
1109 Damage (Public Utility Undertakings, &c.) Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolutions.
§ Professor SavoryWill the right hon. Gentleman inform the House of the results of the reflections he promised last week as to when he would give time for the consideration of the situation, which is now arising, by the passage into law of the Republic of Ireland Act and the unilateral repudiation of the most solemn contractual obligations accepted by both Houses of Parliament in Dublin in 1922 and 1925.
§ Mr. MorrisonIt is always a pleasure to hear from the hon. Gentleman, but, with respect, I hardly think this arises out of the Business of the week, and I do not think I can make any pronouncement upon that at the moment. I should have thought that a question could be put down or some other facilities sought.
§ Professor SavoryBut the right hon. Gentleman promised last week to think the matter over.
§ Mr. MorrisonI forget exactly what I said, but I know I had no intention of saying anything about it last week.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesCould the Leader of the House tell us whether time will be found for a Debate on Civil Aviation inasmuch as the reports of the Corporations have not been debated in this House yet?
§ Mr. MorrisonI am in favour of the appropriate selection of annual reports of public corporations being debated, and, as I have intimated to the House, I personally think it would be a good thing if the usual channels could try to make some arrangements as to appropriate facilities. Of course, it is primarily for the Opposition to select which reports, if any, they would like to have debated.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWill the House be given an early opportunity of considering the findings of the report of the Army and Air Force Courts Martial Committee?
§ Mr. MorrisonI could not say without notice.
§ Mr. NallyIs my right hon. Friend thoroughly satisfied in his own mind that the allocation of one day, namely, Thursday, for the discussion of the Tribunal's Report is adequate? I am not quite certain of the etiquette in these matters, but 1110 as I understand it, there will be four Front Bench speeches delivered that day. Here again I am not quite sure what the position is, but a Member of the Liberal Party is almost bound to catch Mr. Speaker's eye together with a Member of the Communist Party, and that being so we——
§ Mr. GallacherOn a point of Order. Is it in Order for a Member to suggest that a Member of the Communist Party will automatically catch your eye, Mr. Speaker? I was very anxious to catch your eye and that of others yesterday, but nobody seemed able to see me.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe answer to the point of Order is that I am as generous as I can be but the hon. Member cannot always catch my eye.
§ Mr. NallyMy own impression, Mr. Speaker, is that you are over-generous in connection with that matter, but that is a matter of opinion. There will be four Front Bench speeches, and there are likely to be two speakers representing smaller parties. In those circumstances, the time available for a large number of back benchers who have something to say on this subject is going to be comparatively limited. In view of the wide issues affecting all sorts of matters which are raised, it seems to me that a day's Debate is not adequate.
§ Mr. MorrisonIt is always difficult to be sure what the general judgment of the House may be, but I should have thought that the general judgment would be that one day is enough. I do not say that that is unanimous, but on the previous occasion when a report of a Tribunal of Inquiry was before the House half a day did it. I do not say it will in this case, but I should have thought that one day would be adequate for this business.
§ Mr. ChurchillCould the right hon. Gentleman give the House the terms of the Motion that the Government will move on this subject?
§ Mr. MorrisonYes, Sir. The Motion we are proposing to move, which has not yet been handed in, will be as follows:
That the Report of the Tribunal appointed under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act, 1921, to inquire into allegations reflecting on the official conduct of Ministers of the Crown and other Public Servants, presented on 21st January, be accepted.