HC Deb 30 May 1963 vol 678 cc1539-43
Mr. H. Wilson

May I ask the Leader of the House to state the business of the House for the week after the Recess?

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

Yes, Sir. The business for the first week after the Whitsun Adjournment will be as follows:

MONDAY, 17TH JUNE—Supply [20th Allotted Day]: Committee.

Debate on the Provision for Higher Education, on the appropriate Votes.

TUESDAY, 18TH JUNE—Remaining stages of the Remuneration of Teachers Bill, and of the Local Employment Bill.

WEDNESDAY, 19TH JUNE—Second Reading of the Peerage Bill.

Second Reading of the Commonwealth Development Bill, and Committee stage of the Money Resolution.

THURSDAY, 20TH JUNE—Supply [21st Allotted Day]: Committee.

Debate on Industry and Employment in Scotland, on the appropriate Votes.

FRIDAY, 21ST JUNE—Private Members' Bills.

Mr. H. Wilson

Does the right hon. Gentleman still have in mind that the House will wish to have at an early date a two-day debate on foreign affairs, some time of which we will want to devote to the question of disarmament and the test ban agreement? Will the right hon. Gentleman say that this is very much in his mind for inclusion in the programme?

Mr. Macleod

The Leader of the Opposition is increasing the bidding, as he knows. There was no mention of a two-day debate the last time that it was discussed. [HON. MEMBERS: "Yes, there was."] No, there was not. Of course, we will have discussions through the usual channels, but I am not committed to anything beyond that.

Mr. Wilson

If I may say so, I think; that the right hon. Gentleman's memory is at fault, because the idea of a two-day debate has been mentioned throughout. We are agreeable that there should be discussions through the usual channels about the necessary mechanism of securing a two-day debate, but, certainly, all along we have said that we would want, and I am sure that the whole House would want, a two-day debate.

Dame Irene Ward

Did my right hon. Friend happen to notice last week that there was a protracted debate on one of the fishing Orders and that all the Members who spoke in it, owing to the unsatisfactory position of the fishing industry, said that there should be a further debate on the subject? When may we have that debate, and can it start at an appropriate hour?

Mr. Macleod

It is very difficult to take the vast numbers of Orders which have to be passed by the House at any other time than at the end of the day's business, which is ten o'clock, or sometimes even later. I have noted the views expressed by hon. Members on both sides and I will in due course take them into account.

Dame Irene Ward

Give us a day.

Mr. C. Pannell

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the implied promise that we had some time ago that we should have a half-day debate on this building and the necessity to extend it in the interests of hon. Members?

Mr. Macleod

There has been an undertaking for some time that we will have a debate on accommodation this Session, and I should like to discuss at an appropriate stage how best that can be arranged.

Mr. Brockway

Since the right hon. Gentleman gave me an undertaking that he would consider my request for facilities for my Bill against racial discrimination and incitement when the Home Secretary made his statement, since it is likely that that statement will be made very soon, will the right hon. Gentleman now consider giving facilities for that Bill, which includes a provision against racial discrimination in public places, and which is not likely to be covered in any statement which the Home Secretary makes?

Mr. Macleod

I think that we should await the statement which will be made in a very few minutes' time. There are two statements to be made. The first will be made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and then a statement will be made on this particular point by the Home Secretary.

Miss Vickers

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a day is owing to the Estimates Committee for discussion of its Reports? Will my right hon. Friend therefore consider discussion of House of Commons Paper 263 on the naval dockyards?

Mr. Macleod

It is correct that there is a day's discussion owing which we will, I hope, take some time between Whitsun and the Summer Recess. I do not think that it is for me to announce what the precise subject will be.

Mr. Mendelson

Further to the announcement by the right hon. Gentleman during business questions last week about the proceedings of the Ottawa Conference, with particular reference to the reorganisation of control of nuclear weapons in N.A.T.O. and the discussions on a possible multilateral force, which is now an urgent matter, will the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance that the Government will not commit this country to any such multilateral force before a debate has taken place and the House has had a chance to express its opinion?

Mr. Macleod

I do not think that that arises immediately on business. Naturally, all these matters will be in order if we can arrange the debate to which the Leader of the Opposition has referred.

Mr. Warbey

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the enlargement of the principle of colonial development to that of Commonwealth development represents a major step of very great importance and that we cannot possibly do justice to this matter on the same day as we discuss the Peerage Bill?

Mr. Macleod

We will see how we get on with those two Bills. The general change which is embodied in the Commonwealth Development Bill is, I think, entirely acceptable to the House. Indeed, many hon. Members on both sides have pressed for it for some time. But I will watch the course of business on Wednesday.

Mr. Iremonger

In view of the importance of increasing productivity, will my right hon. Friend find time to discuss in the House the Motion standing in my name and the names of many of my hon. Friends on the trade unions and national prosperity?

[That this House welcomes the satisfactory development of industrial relations at the Ford Motor Company's works at Dagenham anti the recent publication by the Trades Union Congress, entitled, Sweden—its Unions and Industrial Relations, which is intended to stimulate trade unionists in this country to take a more constructive part in. the affairs of their unions and to reexamine their function and purpose in the light of the needs of today and the prospects of tomorrow with the object of increasing prosperity by removing obsolete restrictive practices, eliminating unofficial strikes, increasing the mobility of labour, and co-operating in the schemes of training and re-training initiated by Her Majesty's Government.]

Mr. Macleod

I could not give an undertaking about that.

Mr. Pavitt

Has the Leader of the House had any request from the Minister of Health to find Government time in the near future for a debate on the Government's ten-year plan for local health authority improvement and, if so, is the debate likely to take place immediately following the Recess?

Mr. Macleod

The answer to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's question is, "No, Sir." Therefore, the second part does not arise.