HC Deb 19 March 1953 vol 513 cc213-6
Mr. Attlee

May I ask the Leader of the House to 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, 23RD MARCH — Second Reading:

Consolidated Fund Bill.

Debate on Opposition Motion relating to Flood and Tempest Damage.

TUESDAY, 24TH MARCH—Committee and remaining stages:

Consolidated Fund Bill.

Debate on Central African federation, which will arise on a Government Motion.

WEDNESDAY, 25TH MARCH—Motions to refer the University of St. Andrew's Bill [Lords] and the Hospital Endowments (Scotland) Bill [Lords] to the Scottish Standing Committee for Second Reading.

Second Reading:

Leasehold Property Act and Long Leases (Scotland) Act Extension Bill [Lords].

THURSDAY, 26TH MARCH — Second Reading:

Judges' Remuneration Bill.

Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.

Report and Third Reading:

Prevention of Crime Bill.

FRIDAY, 27TH MARCH—Private Members' Bills.

It may be convenient for me to inform the House that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will open his Budget on Tuesday, 14th April, and that it is proposed to adjourn for the Easter Recess on Thursday, 2nd April— on which day the House will meet at 11 o'clock in the morning—until Tuesday, 14th April.

Mr. Attlee

May we take it that on Monday and Tuesday the proceedings on the Consolidated Fund Bill will be taken formally in order to follow a full debate on those two subjects?

Mr. Crookshank

Yes, Sir, that is as the Opposition wishes.

Mr. Attlee

I understand that the Leasehold Property Act and Long Leases (Scotland) Act Extension Bill [Lords], although it sounds as if it were only a Scottish Measure is, in fact, a United Kingdom Measure?

Mr. Crookshank

Yes, Sir. It is a United Kingdom Measure. The title is unduly long in order to cover that.

Mr. S. N. Evans

As Central African federation is the most important matter to come before the House for many a long day, may we have an extra hour of debate so that the differing points of view may be expressed?

Mr. Crookshank

Perhaps that matter could be discussed through the usual channels.

Mr. Rankin

May I suggest that the debate might run until 11 o'clock and that, as there is not a great deal of business of substance on Wednesday we might have the concluding speeches then, so that the Colonial Secretary would have time to study the good advice he will receive from hon. Members on this side of the House.

Mr. Alport

Will my right hon. Friend note that the suggestion of the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. S. N. Evans) will be strongly supported by many hon. Members on this side of the House?

Mr. Mitchison

Is it proposed to move a Money Resolution in respect of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, and if so, can time be found for it next week in order not to delay the progress of the Bill?

Mr. Crookshank

I had noted that the Bill received a Second Reading the other day. I am not prepared to say whether there will be a Money Resolution next week, but we will consider it.

Mr. Braine

Will my right hon. Friend say whether he has had any request from the party opposite for a debate on the closing down of the Queensland Food Corporation, and whether time might be found for the discussion of this latest failure of State enterprise?

Mr. Crookshank

I cannot say that I have had such a request, yet.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Will the Leader of the House consider allowing two days for discussing the Judges' Remuneration Bill, because a number of hon. Members have views on the subject?

Mr. Crookshank

I dare say that a lot of hon. Members may have views on the subject, but I should have thought that they could be expressed, and the debate concluded, on Thursday.

Mr. Nicholson

Will my right hon. Friend consider the suggestion of my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine)? After all, the House has among its Members the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Strachey) and the hon. Member for Deptford (Sir L. Plummer), two of the greatest experts on the loss of public money.

Mr. Crookshank

That may well be the case, but the question was whether I had received representations on the subject, to which I had to reply, "No."

Mr. Hale

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to consider an important Motion on freedom of association which he will find on the Order Paper in my name and the names of about 70 other hon. Members, representing all parties in the House? Will he say whether he is in a position to give time for a debate on this matter next week? It arises out of the refusal of a visa to an hon. Member of this House and is, therefore, a matter of some concern.

Mr. Crookshank

I did notice this Motion on the Order Paper. It is, of course, one of no fewer than 76 Motions which appear on the Order Paper and I cannot promise time for all of them, or possibly even any of them.

Mr. Snow

Will the right hon. Gentleman also take into consideration the Motion on the Order Paper on the subject of the use of the Order Paper for criticising works of art? Will he bear in mind the rather curious association of the Conservative Party and the French Communist Party in demanding social realism?

Mr. Crookshank

I do not know how much the realism is photographic according to Picasso.