BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

HC Deb 17 October 1961 vol 646 cc9-11

Mr. Gaitskell

May I ask the Leader of the House whether he will make a statement on business?

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Iain Macleod)

Yes, Sir. Today, and tomorrow, there will be a debate on Foreign Affairs, on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House.

It is understood, Mr. Speaker, that there will be particular reference to Berlin, the United Nations, Katanga and the Congo.

On Thursday, 19th October, there will be a debate on African Affairs, also on the Motion for the Adournment.

The business for next week will be as follows:

MONDAY, 23RD OcroBER—Consideration of Amendments, received from another place, to the Housing Bill.

Afterwards, there will be a debate on Wages and Salaries, which will arise on an Opposition Motion.

TUESDAY, 24TH OCTOBER—It is proposed to meet at 11 a.m. and take Questions until 12 noon.

Afterwards, there will be a debate on the Annual Report and Accounts of the National Coal Board for 1960, until 4.30 p.m. when Prorogation is expected.

As previously announced, the new Session will be opened on Tuesday, 31st October, at 11.30 a.m.

Before I sit down, I hope that hon. Members will allow me to refer to the passing of an ex-Member of this House. As the House will know, this is my first appearance as Leader of the House, and it was with great sorrow that I learned today that a former Leader of the House, my noble Friend Lord Crook-shank, has died. I am sure that we as a House would wish to express our regret at this sad loss to his many friends.

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

Mr. Gaitskell

May I associate my right hon. Friends, my hon. Friends and myself with the remarks of the Leader of the House on the sad death of Lord Crookshank. He was in the post-war years one of the outstanding debaters in this House, and many of us will remember with great pleasure the wit and humour with which he spiced his speeches. I never knew a man who could say such outrageous things with such charm.

May I congratulate the Leader of the House on his new appointment, and assure him that if he takes fully into account the wishes of the Opposition he will receive our tolerance, and even possibly our support on occasions.

On next week's business, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that the phraseology about Monday's debate is not quite accurate? It is on an Opposition Motion, but the Motion is not concerned with wages and salaries as such, but with the Government's intervention in the machinery for collective bargaining and arbitration in the settlement of wages and salaries.

Mr. Lipton

Black mark.

Mr. Macleod

I take note of that, but I have not yet seen the Motion which the Opposition are putting forward. It is not wholly unprecedented for an Opposition Motion to be critical of the Government.

Mr. H. Hynd

May I ask the Leader of the House what is to happen to the Questions which have been tabled for days on which the House is no longer to sit?

Mr. Macleod

There will be only Written Quest ions this week, because of the shortage of notice, but next week, on Monday, there will be Oral Questions from 2.30 to 3.30 p.m., and on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. After Prorogation, everything on the Order Paper falls.

Mr. Nabarro

Has my right hon. Friend observed that the debate on the coal industry next Tuesday evidently is to take up so much of the remaining available time that the long-postponed Motion in the name of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, under the title "House of Lords Reform", cannot be taken this Session?

[That it is expedient that a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament be appointed to consider, having regard among other things to the need to maintain an efficient Second Chamber,

1. (a) the composition of the House of Lords,
2. (b) whether any, and is so what, changes should be made in the rights of Peers and Peeresses in their own right in regard to eligibility to sit in either House of Parliament and to vote at Parliamentary elections; and whether any, and if so what, changes should be made in the law relating to the surrender of peerages, and
3. (c) whether it would be desirable to introduce the principle of remuneration for Members of the House of Lords, and if so subject to what conditions,

and to make recommendations.]

Will not my right hon. Friend undertake to consult his Ministerial colleagues with a view to this Motion being set down on the Order Paper in precisely the same form in the early days of the forthcoming Session?

Mr. Macleod

I will certainly undertake to consult with my right hon. Friends. Indeed, I have already had consultations with my Ministerial colleagues.

Mr. Nabarro

Jolly good.

Mr. Hector Hughes

Is the Leader of the House aware that the Secretary of State for Scotland generally answers Questions on a Tuesday? Will that right hon. Gentleman therefore answer Questions next Tuseday?

Mr. Macleod

Next Tuesday, between 11 a.m. and 12 noon, Questions will be in the usual order. It is an unusual time of day, but there will be the usual order.