HC Deb 26 July 1950 vol 478 cc464-6
Mr. Eden

May I ask whether the Leader of the House has any statement to make about Business for the remainder of this week?

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

Yes, Sir. At the request of the Opposition the Debate on Defence will be continued tomorrow on the Third Reading of the Appropriation Bill, until about 7 p.m. Afterwards a Debate on the Supply of Newsprint will take place on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House. We shall then ask the House to take the Committee and remaining stages of the four Consolidation Bills which were read a Second time last night. The Debate on the Report of the Colonial Development Corporation will be postponed.

It is proper that I should make an observation on the Housing (Rate of Interest) Regulations, 1950. It will be necessary to make new Regulations with a new date of commencement in place of those which were annulled. They are necessary to prescribe the rate of interest to be used in calculating the sum repayable to a local authority by an owner who has received an improvement grant and has committed a breach of the conditions imposed upon the dwelling or who has voluntarily elected to repay the grant and so dispense with the conditions. Some few grants have already been made and a number of applications for grants are before the local authorities.

Mr. Churchill

Will the arrangements proposed be sufficient to obviate the Privy Councillors and Members of His Majesty's Household having to go to the King and pray that the Regulations put forward by the Government be annulled?

Mr. Morrison

There is no question about what the House did. The House decided that it would wish these Regulations to be annulled and they must be so annulled. Then we will start again.

Mr. Churchill

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether he should not issue some warning, or even an admonition against attempts to have the House counted out by Ministerial instigation and thus stifle debate? If the Chief Whip pleads "Not guilty" I will accept his word at once.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. William Whiteley)

There was no incitement. It was done quite voluntarily by some back benchers.

Mr. Morrison

My information is that this is a case of private enterprise. Some people behind set themselves free. On the earlier part of the right hon. Gentleman's question, there is this distinguishing feature of the Labour Party: it is always willing to learn by experience.

Mr. Henry Strauss

Did the Socialist—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Did the Socialist—[Interruption.] I am sorry if hon. Members waste so much time, Mr. Speaker. Did the Socialist hon. Members who acted as Tellers—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

May I inform hon. Members that groaning is out of order?

Mr. H. Strauss

Did the Socialist hon. Members who acted as tellers for the "Ayes" think that they were helping the "Noes," or has the Leader of the House accepted their explanation that they did not know what they were doing?

Mr. Morrison

I confess that I have not the least idea. I gather that the whole House enjoyed itself, and I do not see why I should interfere.

Mr. S. Silverman

Might not the difficulties of the Leader of the Opposition in this matter be obviated if he issued an instruction to hon. Members behind him not to put down Prayers against Regulations which they do not wish to have annulled?

Sir H. Williams

As the seconder of the Prayer last night, I would like to raise a point with you, Mr. Speaker. As the House has passed the Prayer and annulled the Regulations, will it be competent in this Session for the Government to make other Regulations identical in form?

Mr. Speaker

It is always competent for the Government to put down a similar Order in this Session. That is quite in order.

Mr. Churchill

Similar, but not identical.

Mr. Speaker

In the same Session they can put down a similar Order even if the original one has been annulled. That is quite clear.