HC Deb 08 May 1958 vol 587 cc1418-21
Mr. Gaitskell

May I ask the Leader of the House whether he will state the business for next week?

The Secretary of State for the Home Department and Lord Privy Seal (Mr. R. A. Butler)

Yes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:

MONDAY, 12TH MAY—Second Reading of the Finance Bill.

Motion to approve the Report of the Business Committee on the remaining stages of the Local Government and Miscellaneous Financial Provisions (Scotland) Bill.

Second Reading of the Christmas Island Bill [Lords].

TUESDAY, 13TH MAY—Third Reading of the Local Government Bill.

Committee and remaining stages of the Christmas Island Bill [Lords].

WEDNESDAY, 14TH MAY—Report stage of the Local Government (Scotland) Bill [1st Allotted Day].

Report and Third Reading of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Bill.

THURSDAY, 15TH MAY—Conclusion of the Report stage and Third Reading of the Local Government (Scotland) Bill [2nd Allotted Day].

Consideration of the Motions to approve the Draft Cinematograph Films (Collection of Levy) (Amendment) Regulations; and the Additional Import Duties (No. 3) Order relating to iron and steel.

FRIDAY, 16TH MAY—Consideration of Private Members' Bills.

I hope that the House will permit me to add, as Leader of the House, a tribute to the memory of Lord Ruffside, for some time our Speaker. I feel that right hon. Members and hon. Members on both sides of the House will wish me to express our sympathy with his widow and his relatives, and to register our sense of loss at the passing of one who endeared himself to us by his kindliness and his courage.

Mr. Gaitskell

I have no question to ask about business, but on behalf of my right hon. and hon. Friends and myself I should like to associate us very warmly with the remarks which the right hon. Gentleman has made about Lord Ruffside.

Mr. H. Hynd

As we are within a fortnight of the Christmas Recess—[Laughter.] I mean the Whitsun Recess—can the Leader of the House say anything about the date of that Recess?

Mr. Butler

We are dealing with a Bill about Christmas Island. I am not yet in a position to state what will be the date or length of the Recess.

Mr. H. Morrison

May I ask the Leader of the House a question about the Report of the Committee of Privileges, which is affected by the recent opinion of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council? I gather from him that there will be no time for a debate on this matter until after Whitsun, and I can understand that, but may we have it from the right hon. Gentleman that he will bring this debate on as early as possible? I ask this because the rights of people outside are involved and it is desirable to clear the matter up as soon as possible, whatever anyone's views about it may be?

Mr. Butler

It was clearly the wish of the Committee of Privileges that this matter should go back to it after the Report from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council had been received. To send it back it may well be necessary to place a Motion on the Order Paper, in which case that Motion will itself be debatable. The right hon. Gentleman is very generous in saying that he understands that we may not be able to take this before Whitsun, but I will certainly consult him and others as to what time may or may not be available for a discussion. But if there is a Motion on the Order Paper it will be debatable.

Mr. Morrison

If it is debatable on the simple question whether it goes back to the Committee of Privileges, I should not have thought that the House would want to debate that, but that it might almost be taken pro forma. Could not that be taken before Whitsun, so that the Committee of Privileges can deal with the matter in the light of the opinion of the Judicial Committee as soon as possible?

Mr. Butler

I will consider what the right hon. Member says, and it may be for the convenience of the House, so that it can give the matter consideration after it has been to the Committee of Privileges.

Mr. S. Silverman

Will the Lord Privy Seal bear in mind that it is not everybody's opinion, by any means, that it is desirable that the Committee of Privileges should proceed to a final determination before the House of Commons has had an opportunity of considering the present position?

Mr. Butler

That shows the advantage of the elasticity of our procedure, when there is a Motion on the Order Paper and it is debatable. Although it is not always the wish of authority that it should be debated, it provides an opportunity for private Members to air any views that they may hold.

Mr. E. Fletcher

Are we to understand from what the Lord Privy Seal now says that this matter will not come before the Committee of Privileges again unless a Motion is tabled which will be debatable by the House?

Mr. Butler

This opinion having come from the Queen in Council, I think that the orthodox method would be to refer it back to the Committee of Privileges, but I do not think that it would be impossible for the Committee of Privileges to be seized of the matter itself.

Captain Corfield

Has my right hon. Friend's attention been drawn to a Motion standing on the Order Paper in my name and the names of my hon. Friends? [That this House deplores the injustices inherent in the existing law governing compensation for land acquired under compulsory powers and urges Her Majesty's Government to accept the principle of fair market value either by granting facilities on the floor of the House for the remaining stages of the Compensation (Acquisition & Planning) Bill or by introducing alternative legislation (luring the lifetime of the present Parliament to achieve a similar purpose.] Can he say whether he is yet in a position to state the Government's intentions on the matter?

Mr. Butler

I am aware of the interest of my hon. Friends in this matter, but I am not yet in a position to make a further statement.