HC Deb 07 May 1964 vol 694 cc1457-62
Mr. H. Wilson

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

The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Selwyn Lloyd)

Yes, Sir. Before giving the House the business for next week, may I say that, in addition to the business already announced, the Government propose today to facilitate consideration of the Second Reading of the New Forest Bill [Lords], which, as the House will know, is a Private Member's hybrid Bill.

MONDAY, 11TH MAY—Second Reading of the Malawi Independence Bill, Lords Amendments to the Harbours Bill, and to the Succession (Scotland) Bill.

Motions on the Winter Keep Amendment Schemes, the Ploughing Grants Schemes, and on the Eggs (Guaranteed Prices) Order.

TUESDAY, 12TH MAY, and WEDNESDAY, 13TH MAY—Resale Prices Bill:

Remaining stages.

THURSDAY, 14TH MAY—Remaining stages of the Malawi Independence Bill, and of the Hire Purchase (No. 2) Bill [Lords].

If progress on business allows, it will be proposed that on FRIDAY, 15TH MAY, the House should rise for the Whitsun Adjournment until TUESDAY, 2ND JUNE.

Mr. Healey

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that a Minister who made a statement on a major matter of public importance knowing it to be untrue, and with intent to deceive the House, should resign, together with those of his colleagues who were privy to the deceit?

If the right hon. and learned Gentleman agrees about this, will he take the occasion next week to make a personal statement on the report which is widely published in the United States that, contrary to statements which the right hon. and learned Gentleman himself frequently made in this House, he met the Prime Minister of Israel and the French Foreign Minister near Villacoublay, in France, a week before the Israeli attack on Suez?

If the right hon. and learned Gentleman is prepared to deny this statement will he take legal action against Mr. Herman Finer?

Mr. Speaker

Order. I cannot allow any of that on the business Question.

Mr. Stratton Mills

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that there may be a desire in certain parts of the House to have a debate to discuss the desirability of ensuring that May Day and the Cup Final do not coincide?

Mr. Short

Is the Leader of the House aware that on Friday last, for the third week running, a group of his hon. Friends again prevented the Public Service Vehicles (Travel Concessions) Act, 1955 (Amendment) Bill from having its Second Reading, so preventing millions of old, blind and disabled people from continuing to enjoy the concessionary fares they have had for many years?

Will the Government now allow a little time for the Second Reading of the Bill, and since it is obvious that the right hon. and learned Gentleman does not understand the Bill, will he meet me to discuss it some time in the near future?

Mr. Lloyd

I am certainly prepared to meet the hon. Gentleman and any other hon. Member who wishes to talk to me about the Bill, but I cannot yield to his suggest ion next week.

Mr. H. Wilson

Ts the Leader of the House not aware that in 1955, on the eve of the General Election, the Government—although they had not much time before the dissolution—provided time for my hon. Friend's Bill, dealing with travel concessions, to go through, but because of the circumstances put in this condition: that it should apply only to routes operating in November, 1954? In these circumstances will the right hon. and learned Gentleman enter into discussions with us to see whether Government time can be provided to bring that Bill up to date and thereby follow the precedent that his Government set in April, 1955?

Mr. Lloyd

That is why I should first talk to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Short).

Sir Knox Cunningham

Would my right hon. and learned Friend confirm that he will be implementing later this Session the undertaking that was given last Session about a debate on Northern Ireland?

Mr. Lloyd

I will arrange for such a debate, though I am not at present able to say exactly when it will take place.

Mr. Loughlin

Will the Leader of the House look again at the business for next week in an effort to enable the House to discuss the serious situation in Aden? Is he aware that the resumption of operation "Nutcracker" is likely to endanger a far greater number of our boys than are at present in danger, and that this is a matter of urgency? Will he revise the business programme for next week to allow us to debate this matter?

Mr. Lloyd

I hope that we will be able to have a debate on foreign affairs before long, but I cannot hold out any hope of altering the business for next week.

Dame Irene Ward

Can my right hon. and learned Friend say whether we will be receiving the Report of the Committee of Privileges before the House rises for the Whitsun Recess?

Mr. Lloyd

I have nothing to say on that point today.

Mr. Wigg

Since the right hon. and learned Gentleman has stated that he hopes that the House will adjourn on Friday of next week if business is completed, would he consider letting the House debate the question whether the spirit of Suez has been laid and, if it has, where?

Sir C. Osborne

Was my right hon. and learned Friend advised, with the usual courtesy of the House, by the hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Healey), of the beastly, filthy attack which he made on him and his character a few moments ago?

Mr. Speaker

Order. Not on next week's business.

Mr. Warbey

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman now tell the House on which day the Motion for the Adjournment for the Whitsun Recess will be taken so that we can have an opportunity, if necessary, of tabling Amendments to it in advance and avoid the difficulties which arose before the Easter Recess?

Mr. Lloyd

I hope that the Motion will be taken on Thursday.

Mr. J. Rodgers

Could my right hon. and learned Friend say whether my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science will be able next week to make a statement about the Government's attitude towards management education?

Mr. Lloyd

Not without notice.

Mr. Wigg

Will it be in order, on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House—which, presumably, will be taken on Thursday, although I would be obliged if the right hon. and learned Gentleman would confirm that—to have a debate, whether or not the right hon. and learned Gentleman likes it, on the question of the Yemen and Aden?

Mr. Speaker

If the hon. Member seeks to apply, I will consider the matter, but it does not arise now.

Mr. Loughlin

While I appreciate that the Leader of the House has promised us a debate on foreign affairs, is he aware that if we are to wait, not until next week but until the House comes back after 2nd June, it does not meet the situation in Aden? Because of the need to deal with this matter urgently, will the right hon. and learned Gentleman reconsider the question?

Mr. Lloyd

I will certainly consider anything that the hon. Gentleman puts forward, but I am not wholly convinced that a debate at present would be the wisest course to take. In any case, I cannot hold out any hope of altering next week's business.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Can you advise the House what the remedy is for the hon. Member concerned when a foul attack has been made against him and that attack is then ruled out of order by the Chair, the result being that the foul innuendo is left in the air, without an opportunity being given for it to be answered here?

Mr. Speaker

It is clear that it cannot be dealt with now. That is why I greatly deplore it on either side of the House. I emphasise that two whites do not make a black, so we do not get any further. But the matter can no doubt be dealt with by an appropriate Motion, which I would consider.

Mr. Wigg

I have not the slightest wish, Mr. Speaker, to differ from what you say, but if there is to be an Adjournment of the House there must be a Motion to adjourn the House, and the debate on that Motion would provide ample opportunity to say the things that we want to say. I therefore think that I was in order in asking that the Leader of the House should put the Motion on the Order Paper, and not, as he did before, put it down without giving hon. Members an opportunity to be present when it is debated.

Mr. Speaker

I did not understand the hon. Member to be asking when that particular Motion was going on the Order Paper. I thought that he was sating something else.

Mr. Healey

I should like your guidance, Mr. Speaker. When is it possible to put a question to the Leader of the House? If it is not possible to put a Question on the Order Paper, is there any other occasion, other than during business questions on a Thursday?

Mr. Speaker

All the matter we can cover on the business question is what arises from the Answer, and the Answer is the business for next week——

An Hon. Member

And the hon. Gentleman knows it jolly well.

Mr. Speaker

There is no other way of dealing with the matter.

Mr. Lloyd

In reply to the question asked by the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg), I earlier said that the Motion for the Adjournment would be taken on Thursday.