§ VISCOUNT GREY OF FALLODONI wish, my Lords, to ask the noble Marquess opposite whether he can make a statement on the course of business?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS CURZON OF KEDLESTON)My Lords, I understand that the statement has already been made in another place that, the Prime Minister having tendered to the Crown the advice to dissolve Parliament, the assent of the Sovereign has been given, and the Dissolution of Parliament will take place immediately. I fancy that the date of the Prorogation will be November 16, Friday next, and accordingly the amount of time at our disposal is necessarily very short. I am not aware that we shall have any business of importance to transact in the interval, except the Workmen's Compensation (No. 2) Bill. That measure is now before the House of Commons, and will, I 2 believe, pass through all its stages in that House to-morrow evening. It is a measure of a non contentious character, but of great importance to the working classes, and, indeed, a Bill which, if it were not passed into law before the Prorogation, would deprive them of great benefits and advantages. I therefore hope that your Lordships will find no difficulty in giving the Government the necessary facilities for carrying it into law before the Prorogation. That, I think, is the only business of any substance that I shall have to ask you to be good enough to transact.
§ VISCOUNT GREY OF FALLODONMy Lords, I do not wish to suggest that there will be any undue difficulty about the Workmen's Compensation Bill, but still, as it is a measure of importance, I hope that the noble Marquess will be able to arrange that the short time which is available for its discussion shall be devoted to that Bill, and that the Bill will not be taken, on the day fixed, after other business has occupied the most valuable part of the time.
§ THE MARQUESS CURZON OF KEDLESTONNo, indeed; I think that is a most reasonable request, and I see no reason why we should not have the whole of Thursday devoted to the discussion of the various stages of the Bill.
§ LORD BUCKMASTERMy Lords, the Bill to which the noble Marquess has referred is one which must undoubtedly interest us all, and I am sure that every one will be as anxious as possible to secure its passage. I would like to point out, however, that there never was a subject so full of difficulties as this question of workmen's compensation, and, speaking for myself, I should be glad to have a full opportunity of seeing whether this measure could not be taken advantage of to remedy some of the inconsistencies, inconveniences, and, as I think, injustices of the present law.