HC Deb 13 April 1967 vol 744 cc1379-83
Mr. Heath

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

The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Richard Crossman)

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

MONDAY, 17TH APRIL—In the morning—

Import Duties (General) (No. 3) Order.

Second Reading of the Royal Assent Bill [Lords].

Prayers on the National Health Service (Executive Councils) Amendment Regulations and on the (General Dental Services) Order.

In the afternoon—

As already announced, the general debate on the Budget Resolutions and the Economic Situation will be brought to a conclusion.

Prayer on the Prices and Incomes Order relating to employees of the Birmingham Corporation Transport Department.

TUESDAY, 18TH APRIL—Report Stage of the Budget Resolutions.

Second Reading of the Wireless Telegraphy Bill.

Lords Amendments to the Agriculture Bill.

Reserve Bank of Rhodesia Order and the Southern Rhodesia (Prohibited Trade and Dealings) (Amendment) Order.

WEDNESDAY, 19TH APRIL—In the morning—

Second Reading of the Post Office (Data Processing Service) Bill.

In the afternoon—

Debate on Procedure.

Prayer on the Prices and Incomes Order relating to Car Delivery Drivers.

THURSDAY, 20TH APRIL—Supply [16th Allotted day]:

Debate on Family Poverty, which will arise on an Opposition Motion.

FRIDAY, 21ST APRIL—Private Members' Motions.

MONDAY, 24TH APRIL—The proposed business will be:

In the morning—

Remaining stages of the Royal Assent Bill [Lords].

In the afternoon—

Supply [17th Allotted day]:

Debate on a topic to be announced.

Mr. Heath

On the business for next Wednesday afternoon, can the Leader of the House tell us what will be the form and extent of the debate on procedure? As it is a House of Commons matter, can he undertake that there will be a free vote on his side of the House as there will be on ours?

Mr. Crossman

As for the second part of that question, I again remind the right hon. Gentleman that it is a matter for the Patronage Secretary, but I do not expect that on this point there will be much difference between the two sides of the House.

I propose that we should take four Reports: first, the Report on the times and sittings of the House, secondly, the Report on Standing Order No. 9, urgent and topical debates; thirdly, methods of voting and, fourthly, the Finance Bill. I intend to bring six Motions before the House. I am tabling them this afternoon in time for hon. Members to study them.

Mr. Iremonger

May I ask the Leader of the House very briefly three things? First, in reference to the procedure debate, would it not be very much better if individual topics could be debated individually, with a reply on each topic made in turn? Otherwise, it is so easy to overlook points and to have them all mixed together when hon. Members address themselves to a number of points all at the same time.

Would the Leader of the House also consider a debate on Motion—

Mr. Speaker

Order. One business question at business time is enough. There are many hon. Members who wish to ask questions.

Mr. Crossman

I shall certainly consider this question, but we are bound to consider a number of different points. As I said, I shall table six Motions which deal with the Finance Bill, Divisions, short speeches, establishment of a Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner, the enlargement of the Committee on Science and Technology and Private Members' Notices of Motions. These are all matters I wish to introduce and I suggest that I should start by introducing the six points in a brief speech. Then there would be a general debate and I should seek leave to wind up. It is better, I think, to have a general debate than six separate debates on separate Motions.

Mr. Conlan

Will my right hon. Friend find time next week to discuss the working of the Representation of the People Act, in view of the action of pirate radio stations today in attempting improperly to influence voting in the elections for the G.L.C.?

Mr. Crossman

This is a matter of some importance. I shall certainly discuss it with the Postmaster-General. I do not know what the pirate radio stations are doing, but if it is what I suspect I hope that they will provoke all good men to vote the right way.

Sir G. Nabarro

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind before he makes his business statement next week that we shall run into the twilight period of 21 days' notice for Questions, which will create considerable dubiety as to whether those Questions will fall into the period of Whitsuntide Recess or not? May we have the dates of the Whitsuntide Recess as soon as possible?

Mr. Crossman

I appreciate this difficulty about the Whitsuntide Recess. There are special reasons why I cannot give the date yet. There are very important possibilities which the Government have to consider. I will give the date at the earliest possible time. But I cannot give it this week.

Mr. Luard

Does my right hon. Friend recall that some time ago he expressed the hope that he would be able to arrange a foreign affairs debate some time in the very near future? Is he yet able to make a more definite announcement?

Mr. Crossman

If I may revert to the question of the date of the Whitsun Recess, some time ago I expressed the hope that the Recess would run, I re- member, from the secular holiday back towards the religious holiday. That is still so.

To answer my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Luard), we have been doing fairly well on foreign affairs debates. Aden has been debated twice. I suspect that Vietnam will be debated most of next Friday.

Mr. Hastings

The Government are supposed to be teetering on the edge of a decision to apply to enter the Common Market. This is a momentous affair. Why is there no plan whatever to have a debate on this specific issue? When may we expect one?

Mr. Crossman

I would not have thought that a lengthy consideration of the pros and cons can be described as "teetering on the edge". I do not think that the time has come for a debate. I think that we need to have our consultations. I give the assurance that there will be a full and adequate debate of any proposal the Government make.

Mr. Ronald Bell

Will the procedure Motion relating to the Finance Bill, which is to be discussed next week, include the proposal to abolish the Committee of Ways and Means which the Chancellor of the Exchequer mentioned in his Budget statement? Will the Leader of the House give us an opportunity of debating this in a general way before it comes before the House as a Clause in the Finance Bill, with all the implications that go with that?

Mr. Crossman

I thought that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made it clear that this particular proposal is part of the Finance Bill. I shall be putting before the House a Motion relating to the Report of the Select Committee on Procedure with regard to our methods of handling the Finance Bill.

Mr. Fletcher-Cooke

Has the Leader of the House observed that the half hour that we now lose in the debates on Mondays and Wednesdays is entirely at the expense of back benchers and that Front Benchers in no way moderate the length of their speeches? Would he consider this aspect in his consideration of the reform that he proposes for next Session?

Mr. Crossman

The hon. and learned Gentleman will find that one of the Motions I shall table is a proposal for dealing with the problems of speeches. I think that we could well discuss this on Wednesday when I make my proposal.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Would the Leader of the House agree that, although it is possible to discuss the regional employment premiums during the Budget debates, it is desirable that the House should have an opportunity for a full-scale debate on this proposal, as other interests in the country will be having?

Mr. Crossman

Yes. I have been reflecting on the way in which the House should consider what has been called the "Green Paper", since we have now evolved a new technique of presenting a proposal which the Government are putting forward for discussion. I am thinking very carefully about how we can best deal with this in detail in the House, since other interested parties outside are not having the full right of consultation with the Government.

Mr. Edward M. Taylor

Is the Leader of the House aware that increases have been proposed or applied in the prices of coal, gas and electricity in Scotland during the freeze? Would he, therefore, arrange for a debate next week on the high prices of fuel in Scotland?

Mr. Crossman

On due consideration, I do not see any chance of having such a debate next week.

Several Hon. Members rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order.