BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 3 November 1921)

THE EARL OF CRAWFORD
My Lords, I am afraid we shall have to invite the House to meet to-morrow afternoon at a quarter past four, in order to proceed with two or three Bills already on the Paper for Second Reading, and a further Bill in respect of the unemployed workers for which Lord Clarendon obtained a Second Reading this afternoon. I shall be very glad if your Lordships will allow Standing Order No. XXXIX to be considered and suspended in relation to this Bill to-morrow, because there are several Amendments, all, I believe, except one, of a drafting character, which Lord Clarendon desires to insert, and he is anxious for technical reasons that the Bills should pass into law by Tuesday next, so that the Lords' Amendments will go to the Commons, and if necessary reach us again, in time for the Bill to pass on that date. Lord Peel will also, if convenient, take the Second Reading of the Trade Facilities Bill to-morrow.

THE MARQUESS OF CREWE
My Lords, before the House adjourns I think it would be due to us that the noble Earl should give some explanation of the urgency which demands a Friday sitting. We have not been told, except as regards one Bill, which I understand the noble Earl says for some reason or other ought to become law on Tuesday, what the urgency is. So far as I know there is no special reason for the immediate rising of Parliament. We are not at the end of August, or the beginning of the holiday season, or obliged for any reason to bring about, an early Prorogation of Parliament. My noble and learned friend, Lord Buckmaster, owing to legal business, will not be able to be in the House to-morrow, and I understand from him that he is desirous of speaking on one of the Bills with which it is proposed to proceed.
I do not know whether the noble Earl who is now leading the House supposes that any serious part can he taken in proceedings hurried in this way, by those who have only the chance during the morning 178 of the day on which the debate is to take place of becoming acquainted even with the general provisions of measures. I am sure the noble Earl is as tired as we are of protests being made on behalf of the dignity of this House, or of the desirability of general discussion here, and I do not want to press those protests; but I think it is due from the noble Earl to give us some more reason than lie has given for the necessity for sitting to-morrow at all.

THE EARL OF CRAWFORD
There are two points which arise. One is with regard to the special case of the Unemployed Workers' Dependants (Temporary Provision) Bill, and the other with regard to the Bill which Lord Crewe mentioned, the Trade Facilities Bill. The special reason why we are anxious to get the Unemployed Workers' Dependants (Temporary Provisions) Bill through quickly is that Wednesday, in very large industries affected by this Bill, is often a pay-day, and it is desirable that the adjustment provided for under this Bill should take place as and from the first pay-day after its passage. It is quite possible, I suppose, to put off the Bill for a week, and so postpone it, but the desire of the Government is that it should be passed as quickly as possible, and November 7 is, I think, actually set out in the Bill as the day when it is expected to receive the Royal Assent. That is what induces me to ask your Lordships to take that Bill to-morrow.
As regards the Trade Facilities Bill, if objection is taken I presume it must be postponed, but I should hope that the Bill might make some progress. There is important business on the Paper to-morrow apart from Government business, as Lord Crewe is aware, and I can only say that we are anxious that these Bills should be passed at the earliest possible moment. Whether the House should go on sitting after legislation is finished is a matter about, which, of course; I do not offer any opinion. It raises large question of policy.

THE MARQUESS OF CREWE
Yes, but my point was not the length of the session — although I adverted to that— but the question of the necessity for the suspension of Standing Orders at this stage of the session and the passing of measures through this House, even although a certain proportion of them are Bills which, being Money Bills, are not susceptible of amendment here in Committee. Perhaps the 179 noble Earl would answer one question which I forgot to put with regard to the amendment of the Unemployed Workers' Dependants (Temporary Provision) Bill. Are we to take it that that is regarded as a Money Bill?

THE EARL OE CRAWFORD
No; it is not certified as a Money Bill.

THE MARQUESS OF CREWE
But it is not, I take it, susceptible of amendment by your Lordships' House, because it could not be amended without varying some public charge.

THE EARL OF CRAWFORD
That is the case. It is a Money Bill, but not certified as such. But I think the noble Marquess is under a misapprehension. It is only in respect of that particular Bill that I suggested suspension of the Standing Orders, because that is the Bill that we want to pass by Tuesday. I do not suggest that it should apply to any other Bill at this stage.

§ LORD EMMOTT
I presume the noble Earl in charge of the Bill can assure us that 180 the Amendments he is going to propose are not privilege Amendments?

§ THE EARL OF CLARENDON
They are Government Amendments.

§ LORD EMMOTT
But are they privilege Amendments?

§ THE EARL OF CLARENDON
Not that I am aware of.

THE MARQUESS OF CREWE
As we all know, it is quite possible for privilege to be waived in another place, which, as the noble Earl opposite will, remember, we invited the House of Commons to do when we carried certain Amendments, at the end of the first part of the session, to the Safeguarding of Industries Bill. The other House did not then see fit to waive its privilege, but it is to be presumed that, on an Amendment carried on behalf of the Government, they might do so. Whether they are privilege Amendments or not may not, therefore, affect the question.