§ 4.10 p.m.
§ Mr. Norman Buchan (Renfrew, West)Mr. Speaker, I wonder whether this would be an appropriate moment at which to seek your guidance on a point of order. It was clear yesterday to the managers of the Government's business that, today, we were not likely to spend very much time on the Bill that we have just completed. Clearly, therefore, the opportunity was open to the Government to put on today's Order Paper other Bills which have gone through the full stages of the House in the sense of Second Reading and Committee stages and which now merely await the formality or otherwise of Third Reading on the Floor of the House.
I am concerned especially with the industrial safety Bill known as the Employed Persons (Safety) Bill, which is awaited so eagerly by millions of trade 743 unionists because of what it does for the safety of working people. The Government have not taken the opportunity to have it inserted in today's Order Paper. If they had done so, I should have given them every co-operation and they would have earned the thanks of millions of ordinary working people.
The Government's action, or lack of it, shows a great deal of carelessness, quite apart from their inattention to the real problems facing the country. Clearly there has been a good deal of mismanagement on the part of the Government. The Prayers which we are now about to consider would normally be taken after the day's Business. I hope that the problem can be rectified. One possible solution would be an assurance from the Leader of the House that an opportunity to consider the Measure will be provided next week.
§ 4.11 p.m.
§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. William Whitelaw)Further to that point of order. The hon. Member for Renfrew, West (Mr. Buchan) has made his point, and I shall not take up any of his assertions. He knows the considered policy that I have always adopted towards Private Members' Bills. I do not differentiate between them. Some of them are extremely estimable. But they have their chance in Private Members' time. In my view, it was not right to provide Government time for Private Members' Bills, and that is the reason for the decision which has been taken.