HC Deb 25 January 1966 vol 723 c63
The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Bowden)

With permission, Mr. Speaker, I should like to make a short business statement.

On Thursday, it will be proposed that the Committee stage of the Winter Supplementaries should be taken formally to allow debate on an Opposition Motion on the Cost of Living.

The House may wish to know also that the business for Monday next, 31st January, is the Second Reading of the Land Commission Bill.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

With reference to Monday's business, can the right hon. Gentleman clear up one point? He will be aware that there is on the Paper, preceding the Land Commission Bill, a Ways and Means Motion in the name of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to provide in Committee of Ways and Means the necessary authority for the imposition of taxation.

Can the right hon. Gentleman clear up when it is intended to take that Ways and Means Motion, and can he give an assurance that there is no intention whatever of seeking to telescope that Motion, authorising the imposition of taxation, during the one day allotted to the Second Reading of a major Bill?

Mr. Bowden

I think perhaps that the right hon. Gentleman and my hon. and learned Friend the Financial Secretary and I could discuss this point.

Sir G. Nicholson

The right hon. Gentleman said—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I am going to call the hon. Member for Farnham (Sir G. Nicholson), but I had not yet called him.

Sir G. Nicholson

The right hon. Gentleman said that the Supplementary Estimates will be taken formally. It has recently been the practice to use the form of words, "If the House so agrees". Will he continue that practice to enable the House to debate the Supplementary Estimates, if necessary?

Mr. Bowden

I regret the exclusion of those words, but there is a further opportunity to discuss the Winter Supplementaries on Report.