HC Deb 16 March 1950 vol 472 cc1257-9
Mr. Churchill

May I ask the Lord President of the Council whether he has any statement to make about Business?

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

Yes, Sir. The Business for next week will be as follows:

MONDAY, 20TH MARCH—Supply (4th Allotted Day).

It is proposed to move Mr. Speaker out of the Chair on Army Estimates, 1950–51, and to consider Votes A, 1, 2, 8, 10 and 11 in Committee.

TUESDAY, 21ST MARCH—Supply (5th Allotted Day).

It is proposed to move Mr. Speaker out of the Chair on Air Estimates, 1950–51, and to consider Votes A, 1, 2. 7, 8, 10 and 11 in Committee.

WEDNESDAY, 22ND MARCH—Supply (6th Allotted Day).

It is proposed to move Mr. Speaker out of the Chair on Navy Estimates, 1950–51. and to consider Votes A, 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 11, 13 and 15 and Navy Supplementary Estimate, 1949–50 in Committee.

THURSDAY, 23RD MARCH—Supply (7th Allotted Day)—Committee.

The Supplementary Estimates for the Diplomatic and Consular Services, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Food, and the Ministry of Agriculture (Food Production Services) will he considered.

At 9.30 p.m. the Questions will be put from the Chair on the Vote under discussion and on all outstanding Estimates, Supplementary Estimates and Excess Votes required before the end of the financial year.

FRIDAY, 24TH MARCH—Consideration of Motion to approve the Summer Time Order;

Committee stage Pf the Diplomatic Privileges (Extension) Bill;

Committee and remaining stages of the Post Office and Telegraph (Money) Bill.

Mr. Clement Davies

May I ask the Leader of the House whether, before the House rises for the Easter Recess, time can be found for debating the Motion which has been put down in the names of myself and my colleagues with regard to the position of Seretse Khama?

[That this House views with deep uneasiness the treatment accorded to Seretse Khama; regrets that the Report of the Judicial Inquiry has not been published; and urges His Majesty's Government to reconsider both the publication of the Report and the decision to exclude Seretse Khama from his Chieftainship for a period of five years.]

Mr. Morrison

I should have thought it would be best for the House to await the White Paper and to consider how they feel when that emerges. As the right hon. and learned Gentleman knows, as far as I can see the Government really have no time between now and the Easter Recess; but in any case, I am sure the whole House realises that this is a matter of some delicacy and I think that hon. Members generally would take the view that it is best to await the White Paper and then to try to see how we feel about it.

Mr. Davies

I am of course perfectly willing to fall in with the suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman. May we have an assurance that the White Paper will be in our hands before any length of time has elapsed, so that we can make another application?

Mr. Morrison

It should certainly be in the hands of hon. Members next week—I should think, quite the early part of next week. We will get it out as quickly as ever we can.

Mr. John Hay

May I ask the Lord President whether his attention has been called to the Notice of Motion standing on the Order Paper in the names of myself and my hon. Friends and whether, in view of the great importance of this matter of corporal punishment and crimes of violence, he will give early consideration to allowing time for a Debate?

[That this House notes with alarm the prevalence of crimes involving violence; is of the opinion that the premature abolition of corporal punishment is a factor which has largely contributed to this situation; considers that the reintroduction of corporal punishment is urgently necessary; and calls upon the Government to propose legislation to amend the Criminal Justice Act, 1948, with this object in view.]

Mr. Morrison

I gather there is a certain amount of competition about Motions on the Order Paper on this matter. My difficulty is that I do not see my being able to find the time out of Government time between now and Easter owing to the financial business that has to be transacted.