HC Deb 11 February 1960 vol 617 cc664-8
Mr. Gaitskell

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

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. R. A. Butler)

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

MONDAY, 15TH FEBRUARY—Second Reading of the European Free Trade Association Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution, which it is hoped to obtain by about 7 o'clock.

Afterwards, we shall consider the Motion to approve the National Insurance (Earnings) Regulations.

TUESDAY, 16TH FEBRUARY—Report and Third Reading of the Coal Industry Bill, which it is hoped to obtain by 7 o'clock.

At 7 o'clock as the House is aware, the Chairman of ways and Means has set down opposed Private Business for consideration.

WEDNESDAY, 17TH FEBRUARY—Second Reading of the War Damage (Clearance Payments) Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.

Second Reading of the Distress for Rates Bill [Lords], which is a consolidation Measure.

Consideration of the Motions to approve the draft Orders made under the Representation of the People Act, 1949, relating to constituencies in England and Scotland.

Report and Third Reading of the Occupiers' Liability (Scotland) Bill.

Consideration of the Motion to approve the General Grant (Increase) (Scotland) Order.

THURSDAY, 18TH FEBRUARY—Second Reading of the Iron and Steel (Financial Provisions) Bill and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.

FRIDAY, 19TH FEBRUARY—Consideration of Private Members' Bills.

In accordance with the recently begun practice, I have to announce that the proposed business for MONDAY, 22ND FEBRUARY, will be: consideration of private Members' Motions until 7 o'clock.

This is the first of the four half-days which the Government have set apart this Session, as an experiment.

At 7 o'clock the following Government business will be considered: Committee and remaining stages of the European Free Trade Association Bill and of the Distress for Rates Bill [Lords], which is a consolidation Measure.

Mr. S. Silverman

May I draw the attention of the Leader of the House to the statement which the President of the Board of Trade did not make to the House on Tuesday? May I remind him that this deals with a matter in which there is very great interest and about which there is very great anxiety? Can he say whether any time will be afforded to the House in the near future to discuss the implications of the announcement which the President of the Board of Trade made to the Press?

Mr. Speaker

I am just about to make a statement to the House in that connection myself.

Mr. Bowles

rose—

Mr. Speaker

If the hon. Gentleman is to refer to the application which he intends to make to me, this is not the moment. I will give him an opportunity in due course.

Dame Irene Ward

If our proceedings on the European Free Trade Association Bill do not come to an end by seven o'clock on Monday, will the business which follows be exempt?

Mr. Butler

Yes, Sir.

Mr. S. Silverman

On a point of order. I think that I have been misunderstood, Mr. Speaker. I was not asking the Leader of the House about a debate on the matter which you kindly allowed me to raise with you yesterday, but on the substance of the matter, which, of course, is not something for the Chair.

Mr. Speaker

I do not want to stop the hon. Member. It may be that I have been misled about what he wants to do, but I would rather he did not ask his question now.

Mr. G. Thomas

Is the Leader of the House now in a position to tell us when we shall have a debate on the two major reports on education which have recently been published?

Mr. Butler

There have been some discussions with the Minister of Education and I think that it is generally recognised that a debate should take place. But I think that we should take a little more time, because while I may understand them—because they are based on the Education Act, 1944—they are very long and perhaps we should take a little time to digest them. Then, I hope, we shall have a fruitful and valuable debate.

Mr. John Hall

Will my right hon. Friend be able to find time to have a debate on the Motion standing on the Order Paper in the name of my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Hove (Mr. Marlowe) and about 150 other hon. Members on the subject of the National Health Service charges for drugs, if only to give the Minister an opportunity of pointing out that private practitioners have agreed to accept the same controls over their prescriptions as are now accepted by doctors under the Health Service?

[That this House, noting that the number of doctors in private practice is rapidly diminishing, is of the opinion that the patients of such doctors should be enabled to obtain their medicines and drugs and have their prescriptions made up on the same terms as apply to National Health Service patients; and urges Her Majesty's Government to introduce the necessary legislation to achieve this.]

Mr. Butler

This is a subject which will arise on the Estimates. There is a lot of support on the Order Paper for this idea and I agree that it would be a subject worthy of discussion. All I can say at present is that I do not see an early opportunity of affording a debate.

Mr. Gaitskell

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is by no means an uncontroversial subject, and that there is very strong opposition to the Motion?

Mr. Butler

Yes, Sir. That is a fact which has been considered by those in charge and those in opposition. There are certain difficulties, but I agree that it might make a very good debate.

Mr. M. Stewart

In view of the statement by the Minister of Education that he was considering introducing legislation on the lines of the Roberts Report on public libraries, can the Leader of the House provide facilities for a debate on that subject, so that the Minister can be informed about the opinion of the House?

Mr. Butler

I am aware of the interest in the Roberts Report, but I do not know when we can have a day to debate it. Perhaps it might be amalgamated with some other subject.

Mr. L. Thomas

Can my right hon. Friend say whether he is proposing to give us an opportunity in the near future to debate the White Paper issued during the Recess on trustee investments and the responsibility of trustees?

Mr. Butler

I cannot give a date at present. It rather depends on the further action to be taken following the White Paper, about which we shall keep the House informed.

Mr. Speaker

A moment ago I stopped the hon. Member for Nelson and Colne (Mr. S. Silverman) asking the Leader of the House a question. I suspect that I did it on the wrong ground. I would be obliged if the hon. Member would ask his question if he wants to.

Mr. S. Silverman

I am obliged to you, Mr. Speaker.

What I should like the Leader of the House to tell me is whether he can find an opportunity in the near future for the House to debate the substance of the announcement made by the President of the Board of Trade about the areas to which the Local Unemployment Bill is intended to apply?

Mr. Butler

I would have to discuss this with my right hon. Friend and then speak again on the subject.

Mr. Jay

Is the Leader of the House aware that many hon. Members on both sides of the House have strong views about this list? Can he not give an assurance now that it will be debated at an early date?

Mr. Butler

I cannot give an absolute assurance because I cannot name a date. I realise that this is a matter that affects hon. Members. Anybody who sat through our recent discussions on this legislation will realise how interested hon. Members are. I will, therefore, bear that in mind.