BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 10 July 1924)

§ LORD THOMSON
My Lords, I beg to move that the House do now adjourn.

§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY
My Lords, upon the adjournment I desire to put a question to the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack arising out of something he said just now. He told your Lordships, quite truly, that, speaking on behalf of my friends, I said that I would raise no objection to the promotion of a particular Bill above its ordinary place in order that it may be ready to have the Royal Assent on Monday evening. One or two of us have asked ourselves this question—whether the Royal Commission should break into the sitting of your Lordships' House, as it did on a 473 recent occasion. If that is to be so, I should like to say on behalf of my friends, that we deprecate that practice. It was very inconvenient on the last occasion, as the noble Viscount I know realised, and there really is no reason for it. The House of Commons is in Session, and it cannot make any difference to them what time the break in their proceedings takes place. As to ours, we are early people, and adjourn in good time, and a convenient course is to put the Royal Commission down for about the time when your Lordships' House is likely to adjourn. I suggest for the consideration of His Majesty's Government, through the noble and learned Viscount, that that practice might be adopted.

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, it is a very convenient practice, and one, I think, which we ought to adopt when we can. Of course, the House of Commons, particularly when business is congested, like to have a little notice when we are going to summon them. Suppose we summon the Royal Commission for a quarter past seven on Monday.

§ LORD MUIR MACKENZIE
We have already made arrangements to put it down for seven o'clock.

§ EARL BEAUCHAMP
My Lords, it is entirely a new departure on the part of His Majesty's Government that Royal Commissions should be allowed to interrupt our proceedings here. It has been done only on one occasion in my recollection, which is longer than that of the noble Marquess. Royal Commissions have always taken place after our proceedings, and I am quite sure it would be no inconvenience to the other House that it should do so on Monday. May I also make this point? Our sittings are not prolonged, and it is a serious thing if a quarter of an hour is taken away. On the other hand, the other House sit all the afternoon and evening, and it does not matter so much to them if the Royal Commission takes place at the end of our sitting. I think it will be for the general 474 convenience that that should be done. The Royal Commission can be put down for seven o'clock, but the House of Commons need not be summoned until our business is finished.

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
My Lords, I think the noble Earl is wrong in saying that on only one occasion before have our proceedings been interrupted by a Royal Commission. My information is that they have been pretty frequently interrupted in the past. It is certainly convenient to the House of Commons to let them know the hour at which they shall come. No doubt, we could put the time a quarter of an hour later if it is desired; it would make no difference to them.

§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY
My Lords, we need not fight about few minutes. I think the noble Earl, Lord Beauchamp, is quite right. There is really no reason why the Royal Commission should take place exactly at the minute fixed. I have not seen the Order Paper, and I am not sure how long the business on Monday is likely to take, but a quarter past seven, or thereabouts, would be a good time. I deprecate, however, that it should be an absolutely fixed time. It might be that we were just finishing a Bill, and that in five minutes more we would be at the end of our task. It would be unwise and inconvenient to adjourn for twenty minutes, and then have to come back again to do five minutes' work.

§ LORD MUIR MACKENZIE
My Lords, so far as I have anything to do with it I need scarcely say more than this. I have been accustomed to deal with this matter for nearly forty years, and the noble Earl opposite may be quite sure that I shall not do anything that in the least varies from what has been the long practice of this House.