§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Biffen)With permission, Mr. Deputy Speaker, I should like to make a short business statement.
The business later today following the Standing Order No. 9 debate on the National Health Service pay dispute will now be as follows—Debate on motions on industrial training boards followed by a debate on the motions on social security benefits up-rating orders.
Afterwards, there will be a debate on the motion on the rate support grant reduction (Stirling district) 1982–83 and on the motion on the European Community document 6168/82 on revenue duty on traditional rum.
Consideration of proceedings on the remaining stages of the Administration of Justice Bill [Lords] will be postponed until a future occasion.
§ Dr. J. Dickson Mabon (Greenock and Port Glasgow)With reference to the rate support grant Stirling order and the European Community document, will the order and the document be taken together as a one-and-a-half-hour debate or will they be taken separately as two one-and-a-half-hour debates? What is the sequence?
§ Mr. BiffenThe connection between Stirling and rum is not so compelling to set aside the traditional practice of one-and-a-half-hours' debate on each.
§ Mr. A. J. Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed)Does the Leader of the House envisage that the Administration of Justice Bill [Lords] will be taken before the recess? What about the Mental Health (Amendment) Bill [Lords], which was put down for the same week?
§ Mr. BiffenThat will depend upon the progress of Government business.