§ Mr. AttleeMay I ask the Lord Privy Seal whether he has any statement to make on business?
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Harry Crookshank)Yes, Sir. We have considered it to be generally convenient to the House not to move the Second Reading of the Transport (Borrowing Powers) Bill today because, as the House is aware, the modernisation proposals of the British Transport Commission which have a direct bearing upon the Bill have not been made public until this morning.
The remainder of today's business and tomorrow's business is as announced.
On Thursday, we shall take the Second Reading of the Crofters (Scotland) Bill and the Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution as already announced, and the Motions to set up the Estimates Committee and the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedure.
In view of representations made from both sides of the House, it is not proposed to take the debate on the Report of the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs until a later occasion.
Perhaps I should say at once that it will be necessary to make arrangements for an early debate, perhaps next week, to discuss the railway situation.
§ Mr. WoodburnAre we to understand that the right hon. Gentleman has not made up his mind when the Scottish debate will take place? I have no doubt we shall get notice in due course.
§ Mr. BevanMay I ask, in view of the fact that Ministers do not seem to find it difficult to make a series of statements after Questions on matters of no very great urgency, whether the Government intend to volunteer a statement on the Formosa situation and President Eisenhower's statement to Congress?
§ Mr. BevanSurely this is a subject of the utmost gravity and one which is engaging the interest of the whole country. The House of Commons meets today, and, presumably, the Government are not unaware of the contents of the President's message and must have been ready to prepare their own statement. Has the right hon. Gentleman nothing at all to say at the moment on this matter?
§ Mr. CrookshankI do not know whether this question is addressed to me on business, but, assuming that it is, I would say that my right hon. Friend did not think it appropriate to make any statement today.