§ Mr. GaitskellAs I understand that the Leader of the House is indisposed, may I ask the Prime Minister whether he will state the business for next week?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:
MONDAY, 9TH FEBRUARY—Second Reading of the Nuclear Installations (Licensing and Insurance) Bill [Lords].
Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
Consideration of the Motions to approve the Agriculture Regulations relating to Circular Saws and the Safeguarding of Workplaces.
TUESDAY, 10TH FEBRUARY—Supply [1st Allotted Day]: Committee.
Consideration of the following Civil Supplementary Estimates:—
Class X, Votes 4, National Insurance and Family Allowances, and 5, National Assistance Board.
Class V, Vote 5, National Health Service, England and Wales.
Class IX, Vote 2, Roads, etc., England and Wales.
WEDNESDAY, 11TH FEBRUARY—Report and Third Reading of the Building (Scotland) Bill.
THURSDAY, 12TH FEBRUARY—A debate will take place on the European Free Trade Area, which will arise on a Government Motion to take note of the White Paper and the documents which were made available on Friday, 30th January.
FRIDAY, 13TH FEBRUARY—Consideration of Private Members' Bills.
§ Mr. GaitskellIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is our intention that we should devote probably the whole of Tuesday's debate to Class X, Votes 4 and 5, on National Insurance and National Assistance?
§ Mr. Patrick MaitlandIn view of the great importance of the debate on European trade, can my right hon. Friend say whether we can have an extra hour for it?
§ The Prime MinisterPerhaps that could be discussed in the usual way, and if it is the wish of the House, of course, the Government will accede. I think, however, that we had better ascertain the wish of the House as far as we can through the normal channels.
§ Mr. AlbuHas the Prime Minister's attention been drawn to the Motion on the Order Paper in the name of my hon. Friends and myself about the reactionary and extremely dangerous statement made by the Engineering and Allied Employers' National Federation, which cuts the ground from under the feet of the present responsible leaders in this industry? If so, will he give time for a discussion of that Motion?
§ [That this House deplores the tone of the statement, Looking at Industrial Relations, issued by the Engineering and Allied Employers' Federation, stating that they wished to fight it out with the unions even if it involved the closing down of the industry and comparing the reference of recent disputes to Courts of Inquiry with the Munich Agreement of 1938, and calls on the Government to dissociate itself from this statement.]
§ The Prime MinisterI do not think that it is likely that it will be possible to find time for discussion, but, of course, that, again, could be discussed in the ordinary way.
§ Mr. H. HyndCan the right hon. Gentleman say when time will be found for the Motion standing in the name of my hon. Friends and myself, about British Railways' superannuitants?
§ [That this House, being of opinion that exceptional hardship has resulted to British Railways superannuitants, many of whom are not in receipt of National Insurance benefits, in a period of declining money values, calls upon Her Majesty's Government to bring forward proposals for the alleviation of this hardship.]
§ The Prime MinisterNot next week.
§ Mr. S. SilvermanHas the Prime Minister's attention been called to the Motion on the Order Paper, signed by 575 a substantial number of my hon. Friends and myself, referring to proposals to deal with Germany and Central Europe? In view of the Prime Minister's reported intention to visit Moscow, does not he think that it would be useful, before he goes, to give the House an opportunity of considering that matter and seeing how far the proposals contained in the Motion have the support of the House of Commons?
§ [That this House, realising that the present international tension cannot be relieved without a solution of the problem of Germany and without a peace treaty which safeguards Germany's neighbours against a resurgence of German military aggression, would welcome the de facto recognition of the German Democratic Republic by Her Majesty's Government and the formation, by agreement between the Republic and the German Federal Republic, of an all-German Federal Council with which a treaty of peace could be negotiated, providing for the admission of a united Germany to the United Nations and her exclusion from military alliances, in pursuance of a policy of disengagement.]
§ The Prime MinisterI have seen the Motion, but I think that it is usual for foreign affairs debates to be arranged in the usual way, either on a Supply day or some other convenient day. No doubt, if it is the wish of the House, we would certainly consider it.
Mr. H. WilsonSince the Anglo-Egyptian financial agreement was initialled in Cairo nearly three weeks ago, and since there are numerous anxieties and apprehensions, on both sides of the House, about what has been done under that agreement, can the Prime Minister say when it is expected to be possible to publish the terms of the agreement so that they can be debated in the House?
§ The Prime MinisterAt present, I am merely announcing the business for next week. If the right hon. Gentleman will put down a Question, I will try to answer it.
Mr. WilsonIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that this Question has been tabled about seven times in the last three weeks, that the Chancellor of the 576 Exchequer has failed to answer it and that it was down as Question No. 42 today, but for some mysterious reason was not put?
§ The Prime MinisterIf it was not put, that was not my fault.
§ Mr. StonehouseHas the Prime Minister's attention been called to the Motion, standing in the name of 173 right hon. and hon. Members on this side of the House, calling for an independent inquiry into conditions in Kenya prisons and detention camps? In view of the widespread concern not only in Kenya, but also in this country, about conditions in these camps, may we have time to debate this matter?
§ [That this House urges the Secretary of State for the Colonies to institute an independent inquiry into the conditions and administration of prisons and detention camps in Kenya, including Lokitaung Prison, Northern Province, in view of all allegations of ill treatment received from prisoners and detainees in Kenya and allegations about the conditions made by former officers of the Kenya Prison Service.]
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir, not on this Motion. We could not give time for that subject, but I would remind the House that at this time of the year we are entering upon the Supply day period and the Opposition may choose a day upon which this and other colonial matters can be discussed.
§ Mr. HaleDoes the Prime Minister propose to give us an early date to discuss the extremely important White Paper on penal reform? Will he bear in mind that in a more limited connection this important White Paper has a direct bearing on the Street Offences Bill, which is under consideration and which makes an early debate still more desirable?
§ The Prime MinisterI will call this matter to the attention of my right hon. Friend who is primarily responsible for it and ensure that it does not escape his notice.
§ Mrs. BraddockFurther to the reply made by the Prime Minister about alleged cruelty in Kenya prisons, may I suggest to him that he take a leaf out of the book of the Home Secretary, who instigated an inquiry into much less 577 cruelty in one of our own prisons, and ask the Colonial Secretary to do as the Home Secretary did and inquire into these very scandalous allegations about what is happening to prisoners in Kenya?
§ The Prime MinisterWe are now discussing what should be the business for next week, and I was pointing out that if this matter is to be raised I should have thought that a Supply day, when we discuss administration and proposed legislation, would be a suitable day.
§ Sir G. NicholsonOn a point of order. Has it escaped your notice, Mr. Speaker, that several times lately, notably today, the Prime Minister has not had time to answer all the Questions put down to him? I am sure that it would be the wish of the House that that should not recur, if possible. I can see the difficulty when a large number of supplementary questions are asked from all parts of the House. What is the right way for the House to proceed to bring about a change in the situation? Would you consider initiating informal discussions with a view to having the Prime Minister's Questions come on earlier?
§ Mr. SpeakerI cannot say to what stage Questions should continue, but I would ask the House to co-operate with me in trying to get more Questions through. Supplementaries should be made short and so should the answers. Let us have a general effort on the part of the House. I have not the slightest doubt that we would get through far more Questions if the House itself would cooperate to that end. Hon. Members cannot have it both ways in the shape of long supplementaries and a greater number of Questions answered.
§ Mr. RankinWould it not be possible to have the Prime Minister answer Questions first one day, to cheer him on his way to Moscow before he leaves?