§ Mr. GaitskellMay I ask the Prime Minister whether he will announce the business for next week?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:
§ MONDAY, 23RD JULY—A debate will take place on Foreign Affairs on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House.
§ Consideration of the Motions to approve the Draft Police Pensions (No. 2) Regulations and similar Regulations for Scotland.
§ TUESDAY, 24TH JULY—Supply [24th Allotted Day]: Committee, which it is proposed to take formally.
§ The debate on Foreign Affairs on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House will be resumed and concluded.
§ WEDNESDAY, 25TH JULY—Supply [25th Allotted Day]: Committee.
§ The Vote for the Ministry of Education will be considered.
§ At 9.30 p.m. the Question will be put from the Chair on the Vote under discussion and on all outstanding Supply Votes.
§ Second Reading of the Overseas Resources Development Bill.
§ Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
§ THURSDAY, 26TH JULY—Supply [26th Allotted Day]: Report.
§ Debate on the Future of Industry and Employment in Scotland.
§ At 9.30 p.m. the Question will be put from the Chair on the Vote under discussion and on all outstanding Votes.
§ Consideration of the Agriculture Act (Part I) Extension of Period Order.
§ Motion relating to Immunities and Privileges of the International Tin Council.
§ FRIDAY, 27TH JULY—Committee and remaining stages of the Overseas Resources Development Bill; the Crown Estate Bill; and of the Sexual Offences Bill [Lords].
1388§ It may be convenient for me to inform the House that if all necessary business is disposed of, it is hoped to adjourn for the Summer Recess on Thursday, 2nd August. The proposed date of reassembly in the autumn will be announced later.
§ Mr. ShinwellIn reference to the statement which the right hon. Gentleman has made about the date of the Summer Recess, and his further statement that he is unable at present to say when we shall return after the Recess, can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the forthcoming Recess will not be as long as last year's—[HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"]—particularly in view of the economic position of the country, and also because it is extremely desirable that we should be informed from time to time whether the Government contemplate taking any action to clean up the mess in the West End of London?
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think I could give an undertaking that the House will be called back to clean up the mess in the West End of London, but what I said about the dates, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, is quite usual at this season of the year. I have announced what we hope will be the date on which we shall start the Recess. Very soon, I will announce the date on which we shall return, and any observations and questions about that can then be raised. It is quite usual to give the starting date of the Adjournment in advance of giving the date for our return, for the convenience of hon. Members, and that is why I announced it as soon as I possibly could.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the right hon. Gentleman please understand that, although objection may be raised, from both sides of the House, to a shorter Recess, there are some of us who believe that in present and, possibly, in future circumstances, looking not too far ahead, it is desirable that our Recesses should not be as prolonged as in the past?
§ The Prime MinisterThat is a matter which can, no doubt, be discussed, but we have not yet even suggested the date for our return. I scarcely need to point out to the right hon. Gentleman, who is a very old Parliamentarian, that it is not truly to assess the value of the work of Parliament to assess it by the number of hours it sits.
§ Mr. Hector HughesHas the Prime Minister noticed on the Order Paper a Motion in my name, and signed also by nearly 150 Members of all parties, and down for debate on an early day, dealing with the request that the pictures of the Sir Hugh Lane collection, now in the Tate Gallery, should be sent to Dublin? Will the Prime Minister find some time in the allocation of the business of the House for dealing with an important cultural matter of that kind?
§ [That this House recalls that the late Sir Hugh Lane by will bequeathed certain pictures to the Tate Gallery, London; that later he signed a codicil designed to alter that bequest and to bequeath the said pictures to the Dublin Art Gallery; that Sir Hugh Lane died in the wreck of the "Lusitania" without fully attesting that codicil in the presence of witnesses; that the codicil as it stands would be sufficient to implement the bequest contained in it if it had been executed in that way by a soldier on active service; that Sir Hugh Lane was killed by enemy action during war but was not a soldier on active service; that it has been held by a court of law that the bequest in the codicil fails on the legal ground that it was not fully attested before the testator was killed; that there are obvious ethical grounds why the said bequest should not fail; that many British and Irish people at home and abroad have expressed the 1390 opinion that ethics should prevail; that it would be just to carry out Sir Hugh Lane's obvious last intention; that a cultural body such as the Trustees of the Tate Gallery should be placed by Parliament in a position to carry out that intention; that to do so would foster good international relations; that not to take steps to that end places the said Trustees in an invidious position; that if, as appears, statutory authority is necessary for this purpose, the Government should forthwith take steps directed to that end; that this House also is of opinion that in this matter ethics should prevail, and accordingly urges the Government to take steps forthwith to seek an amendment of the law so as to make valid and implement the bequest contained in the said codicil to the late Sir Hugh Lane's will.]
§ The Prime MinisterThis is a matter with which I have some familiarity myself, but I certainly could not give an undertaking to find time before the House adjourns.
§ Mr. HughesBut afterwards?