THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (THE EARL OF CRAWFORD)My Lords, with the leave of the House it may be convenient for me to make a statement about business. Yesterday, Lord Buck-master entered a caution against putting down the Motion standing in the name of the Chairman of Committees about a Petition for Writ of Summons. I accordingly propose that Lord Buckmaster should retain the place he has held for some days upon the Notice Paper for his Order dealing with the question of Peace Treaties, and that the noble Earl, the Lord Chairman, should keep his Notice about Peeresses on the Paper for Thursday of next week, March 30, and I would gladly give him an assurance that in the event of Bills being put down which otherwise would take precedence of it, the Government would place a Motion on the Paper to secure that the Lord Chairman's Motion should have precedence on that day, this being a subject which I think interests and concerns the House as a whole.
I am afraid I cannot answer the Question put by the noble Lord, Lord Gainford, 709 yesterday as to the date of the Electricity (Supply) Bill, but I think it would be impossible, to take that Bill on Tuesday, March 28. It will be put down for a day later in that week, but I cannot, for the moment, say what day.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYProbably it would be convenient not to take the Electricity (Supply) Bill—I do not want to pry into secrets not open to the public—until some appointment is made of a Minister of Transport, in whose Department it lies.
THE EARL OF CRAWFORDIf I had any secrets I would gladly reveal them but I imagine, at least I hope, that Lond Peel, who has been in charge of the Bill up to now, may be able to continue to be in charge on its later stages. That will be borne in mind. As regards to-day's business, I suggest that, if convenient to the House generally, we should adjourn for an interval as nearly as possible at eight o'clock and reassemble an hour and a quarter later.