BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE (Hansard, 3 July 1952)

§ Mr. Attlee
Might I ask the Leader of the House if he will state the business for next week?

§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Harry Crookshank)
Yes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:

MONDAY, 7TH JULY—Supply (18th allotted Day)—Committee.

Debate on Fuel and Power.

Consideration of Motions to approve:

Greenwich Hospital Accounts.

Draft House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Orders.

TUESDAY, 8TH JULY—Report and Third Reading:

Housing Bill.
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WEDNESDAY, 9TH JULY—Committee stage

Resolutions relating to Civil List.

Report and Third Reading:

Motor Vehicles (International Circulation) Bill [Lords].

Committee stages:

Marine and Aviation Insurance (War Risks) Money.

Ways and Means Resolutions.

THURSDAY, 10TH JULY—Supply (19th Allotted Day)—Committee.

Debate on Industry in Scotland.

Report stage:

Civil List Resolutions, after which the necessary Bill will be brought in.

FRIDAY, 11TH JULY—Private Members' Bills.

§ Mr. H. Morrison
Can the right hon. Gentleman now make any statement about the arrangements for the interruption of our Sittings, or the Prorogation, the Recess, or whatever it may be?

§ Mr. Crookshank
I undertook last week to inform the House as early as possible. But I am afraid that that is not today.

§ Mr. Morrison
We are now into the month of July. We are all anxious to do our work. Hon. Members opposite are just as much interested as I am. Everybody would like to know as soon as possible what the holiday arrangements are, because of their arrangements of a personal and family character. That is perfectly reasonable. This matter really ought not to be treated with indifference.

§ Mr. Crookshank
It is eminently reasonable, and I hope to make an announcement as soon as possible. I should like to remind the right hon. Gentleman that last year the announcement was made on 26th July, the year before it was made on the 20th, and the year before that it was made on 21st July.

§ Sir I. Fraser
Might I ask whether, through the usual channels, the utmost possible consideration can be given to arranging as many pairs as possible for all of us throughout August and September?

§ Mr. H. Morrison
Does not the right hon. Gentleman recall that in the last Parliament there were understandings and preliminary indications as to when we should probably adjourn? In any case, the Parliamentary programme and the Parliamentary business was so well run under the Labour Government that everybody had a reasonably intelligent idea of what would happen. But with this Government things are in such a chaotic state that we cannot know where we are unless the Leader of the House informs us.

§ Mr. Crookshank
The very short answer to that is that when we were in Opposition we were a united Opposition. In these days it is different.

§ Mr. Pannell
As we are to consider the remaining stages of the Housing Bill next week, will the Leader of the House represent to the Minister of Housing and Local Government the need to make available to Members of the House before that day the general instructions that he intends to make by circular in connection with the sale of council houses, which are now the subject of consideration before the local authority organisations? Will he bear in mind that we want to avoid the unfortunate happenings of yesterday whereby people outside this House had information which was denied to Members of the House of Commons?

§ Mr. Crookshank
That is outside my knowledge, but my right hon. Friend will remember what has been said.

§ Mr. Anthony Greenwood
Can the right hon. Gentleman hold out any hope of finding the necessary time if I was so fortunate as to obtain the leave of the House to introduce the British Museum Bill under the Ten Minutes Rule?

§ Mr. Emrys Hughes
Is there any real urgency about discussing the Report of the Civil List Committee before the Recess?

§ Mr. Crookshank
Yes, that is in accordance with precedent and previous practice.

§ Mr. Callaghan
Are we likely to have the Transport Bill published next week, and, if so, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether he intends to have a debate on that before the Recess?

§ Mr. Crookshank
I hope that the Bill will be introduced next week.

§ Mr. Callaghan
And the debate?

§ Mr. Crookshank
We had better see the Bill first.