§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I think it would be for the convenience of the House if I exercised my discretion and varied the normal order of our affairs to allow the Leader of the House to make a statement about business now.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Robert Carr)Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Today's business has been rearranged so that, instead of the debate on the Expenditure Committee's report on defence, there will be a debate, for about three hours, on Northern Ireland. This will arise on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House. This change has been made possible by the help and co-operation of the Expenditure Committee, and I should like, if I may, to express my gratitude to it and, indeed, to anybody else who may have contributed to this end.
As to Thursday's business, it has been suggested that it would be more convenient to hon. Members interested in the National Health Service (Scotland) Bill [Lords] if the remaining stages were brought forward to the end of the business announced for Wednesday, and I am certainly willing to arrange accordingly.
§ Mr. Harold WilsonThe House will be grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for his announcement. Clearly a debate on Northern Ireland is very urgent.
1318 Will the right hon. Gentleman confirm that after that three-hour debate the business for today will continue to be what he announced last week—namely, the National Insurance Bill—and that that will come on at roughly the same time as we would have expected?
Secondly, should there be any other developments in the next few hours which require a change of business, will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to make a statement tomorrow concerning any further changes for this week?
§ Sir H. HarrisonWhilst I fully understand the desire of the House for a debate on Ulster today, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether the debate on the report of the Expenditure Committee will be taken before we rise for the Summer Recess?
§ Mr. CarrI certainly hope that will be possible. It is my intention to arrange it if it can possibly be managed.
§ Mr. LoughlinWhilst appreciating that it is difficult for the Leader of the House constantly to change his business for this week, in view of the serious crisis which is developing, arising from the imprisonment of the five dockers, may we have a debate on that matter either tomorrow or Wednesday?
§ Mr. CarrIt would be wrong of me to pre-empt a decision of yours, Mr. Speaker, to a request which might be made but has not yet been made. If such a request were made and you were to give a certain answer to it, no doubt other things would follow.