HC Deb 26 March 1953 vol 513 cc840-2
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. In view of the Lying-in-State in Westminster Hall of Her late Majesty Queen Mary, the House will not meet on Monday next.

Tomorrow, a Motion will be moved to provide for the Adjournment of the House until Tuesday.

The business for the remainder of the week will be as follows:

TUESDAY, 31ST MARCH—Lords Amendments:

Transport Bill.

These Amendments are expected to be received from another place during the course of today's Sitting.

Motions to approve:

Outstanding House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Orders.

WEDNESDAY, 1ST APRIL—Second Reading:

Coastal Flooding (Emergency Provisions) Bill.

Committee stage: Money Resolution.

Second Reading:

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

THURSDAY, 2ND APRIL—It is proposed to meet at 11 a.m. Questions will be taken until 12 noon.

Adjournment for the Easter Recess until Tuesday, 14th April.

Mr. Attlee

Has the right hon. Gentleman any statement to make about the procedure on the Leasehold Property Bill?

Mr. Crookshank

We had hoped to have at the same time a debate on the two White Papers, but owing to the sad necessity of changing business, that is not possible. What the Government had in view was that, if we could get the Second Reading of the Bill, which is merely extending a date, more or less in a formal way, and possibly the Third Reading as well on the day when it came back for Report and Third Reading, we would then find time for a debate on the White Papers, instead of having it, as we had intended, on the Second Reading stage. I hope that that will meet the general convenience of hon. Members.

Mr. Attlee

I think that will be satisfactory. The point was to get a full debate on the White Papers.

Mr. Wigg

Under the rules of order. Questions down for next Monday lapse, which means that the Minister of Supply, who was to have answered Oral Questions on Monday, will not be first for several weeks. Will the right hon. Gentleman arrange for the Minister of Supply to be first on the list on the first Monday after the Easter Recess?

Mr. Crookshank

It is one of the misfortunes of the case that the Questions down for Monday lapse because the House will not be sitting. They will have to be put down again, and I am rather nervous of making any commitments for changing the order of Questions.

Mr. Wigg

The right hon. Gentleman is right in saying that Questions lapse, but if the Questions down for Monday are put down again, would he be good enough to arrange for the Minister of Supply to give oral answers on the first Monday after we resume?

Mr. Crookshank

That is just the difficulty I see in the proposal of the hon. Gentleman. I wish I could help him and other Members in a similar position, but if we put the Minister of Supply down as first on a day on which he is not at present expecting to come first, it will push everybody else out of their right order. It is a matter which would have to be considered carefully. I would not like here and now to say that it is possible.

Mr. Wigg

Would the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to look into it?

Mr. Crookshank

Yes, I will look into the suggestion, but I also have to bear in mind the interests of all other hon. Members.

Mr. Driberg

Would the right hon. Gentleman, at the same time, consider the case of Questions for yesterday, when the Air Ministry would have been first? It is simply a question of suspending the rota for one week.

Mr. Crookshank

That shows the difficulties we are likely to get into. If we have to change the Questions for yesterday as well as Monday, we shall throw the whole procedure into great confusion.

Sir W. Smithers

Is this not a matter for the Clerk at the Table to decide?

Hon. Members

No.