§ Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
§ Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Lord Askwith.)
§ LORD ASKWITH had given Notice, that on this Motion he would move, That the Bill be referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament. The noble Lord said: The Bill received its Second Reading on March 1 last, and upon the debate the noble Earl, Lord Onslow, who was in charge for the Government, expressed his sympathy with the movement but pointed out numerous legal difficulties. He added that "a small Committee of the Cabinet has been formed to consider the whole of this question, and it has been suggested that the noble Lord who introduced the Bill might meet that Committee, and confer with them with a view to seeing if a solution of the question cannot be arrived at"; and Lord Haldane, who supported the Bill, said he was wholly in accord with it, but that matters of detail required looking into.
§ The conference there suggested has taken place, and a suggestion was made that this Bill should be referred to a Select Committee of both Houses. There are, 770 undoubtedly, some legal difficulties in the matter, and as there is no chance of the Bill going through this session, with the consent of those supporting it, and on the advice of the Cabinet, I move that the Bill be referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses. I understand that a Motion of agreement will be made in another place.
§
Amendment moved—
Leave out all words after ("That") and insert ("it is desirable that the Bill be referred to a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament").—(Lord Askwith.)
§ On Question, Amendment agreed to: Ordered, That, a Message be sent to the Commons to communicate this Resolution and to desire their concurrence.