§ 7.22 p.m.
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Harry Crookshank)With permission, I should like to say a word about business, following on what was said after Questions today.
The Opposition have proposed that the debate on Scottish education arranged for the first half of tomorrow be postponed in order that the whole of the day may be devoted to a debate on the statement made today by the Chancellor on the economic situation.
We would then propose to take the Lords Amendments to the Rating and Valuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and the Motion to approve the Draft National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Colliery Workers Supplementary Scheme) Amendment (No. 2) Order.
It will be my desire to arrange for this half day on Scottish education to take place during the first week of our reassembly after the Summer Recess.
Arrangements have also been made through the usual channels for a debate to take place on the Geneva Conference on Wednesday. The debate will begin after we have passed the usual Motions relating to the dates of the Summer Recess.
We should also like to take, before the debate, the Bill to validate the election of Mr. Holland-Martin, which will be presented tomorrow. The Select Committee, in its Report, recommended that a Bill be brought in. The Committee and remaining stages of the Friendly Societies Bill will be taken at the end of the sitting.
I hope that the arrangements I have outlined will generally suit the convenience of the House as a whole, as they make it possible to have debates on these most important subjects of the day.
§ Mr. Herbert Morrison (Lewisham, South)We are much obliged to the Leader of the House and, indeed, to both sides of the usual channels for the arrangements which have been made. Somehow, these things can be done, and we have squeezed in at the last moment substantially two full-day debates. I think that generally the arrangements are 903 satisfactory, and, while I cannot bind every hon. Member on this side of the House on business that comes in incidentally, we will do our best to facilitate the business, in view of the agreement reached by the Leader of the House and the usual channels.
§ Mr. CrookshankI am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman.
§ Mr. MorrisonI should like to apologise to our Scottish colleagues for having been party to taking away their half-day, but I am quite sure that they will agree that, in the circumstances, it could not very well be helped. We are grateful to the Leader of the House for agreeing that they shall have a compensating half-day in the first week after our return.
§ Mr. William Ross (Kilmarnock)I was about to remind my right hon. Friend that the miracle of squeezing two full debates into the very short time remaining to us before the Recess has been achieved by squeezing out the Scots. We are not too willing to be squeezed out, and it has come as a matter of surprise and a certain amount of wonderment that, when facing a situation in which we are about to have a three months' Recess, this way out of the difficulty is sought rather than that of making fresh arrangements for the Recess. We are not unmindful of the fact that what has just been announced might affect the debate on Scottish education very considerably. I should like the Lord Privy Seal to be aware that we take full notice of his promise to give us, if not a full day, at least half a day early in the week of our return after the Recess.
§ Mr. SpeakerI must now recall hon. Members to the Question before the House.