§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House if he can make any statement as to the course of public business?
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, I am greatly obliged to my noble and learned friend. It is as to the Rating and Valuation Bill which I think you will probably be interested. The Tithe Bill is now in your Lordships' hands and will be read a second time, it is hoped, to-morrow. In that case I should hope to put that Bill down for Committee to-morrow week, giving a week's interval between the Second Reading and the Committee stage. The Rating and Valuation Bill is a very important measure, which reaches us at a very late period in the Session. I am anxious that your Lordships should be afforded every opportunity for due consideration of such a Bill. I cannot speak with any absolute confidence, but I understand through the usual channels that the Bill will be, or might be, received from another place on Friday. In that event I suggest that your Lordships should have a sitting on Friday to receive that Bill and read it a first time. It would be a formal stage. Then I would suggest that the Second Reading of the Bill should be on the following Tuesday. I hope that that will not he too soon after the First Reading. Undoubtedly it is a shorter interval than you generally have a right to expect, but having regard to the very small number of days which now remain before Christmas, and the necessity of having some proper interval between the Second Reading and other stages, I hope that your Lordships will not mind taking the Second Reading on Tuesday next. In that case I should hope to take the Committee stage of the Rating Bill on the Monday following. I hope the House will consent to sit on Monday at this stage of the Session.
§ LORD PARMOORMy Lords, the noble Marquess, of course, is aware that the Rating and Valuation Bill is a complicated measure, which is likely to give rise to a good deal of discussion in this House. If he thinks we shall certainly get the Bill on Friday, the Second Reading might be taken on Tuesday next, but considerable time ought to be allowed between the Second Reading and the Committee stage. I understand that for Committee the noble Marquess suggests the following Monday. I have no doubt the House will be willing to sit on that day in order to deal with a matter which is really important, and one with which many of your Lordships are extremely familiar.
§ EARL BEAUCHAMPMy Lords, the course which has been suggested seems to me entirely to meet the case, but I am not sure that I agree with the opinion just expressed that there is likely to be a great deal of discussion, or that it will be shared in by a great many members of the House, because from what I have seen it is certainly beyond my comprehension, and the discussion which is likely to take place will probably be largely carried on by the noble and learned Lord upon the Front Opposition Bench. I do not suppose that many others are likely to join in the discussion.
§ THE EARL OF MIDLETONCan my noble friend fix a day for the Committee stage of the Tithe Bill?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI dealt with it just now. I thought with the consent of your Lordships that if the Second Beading took place to-morrow, then we could take the Committee stage that day week, giving a week's interval between the Second Reading and Committee.
§ THE EARL OF MIDLETONI would only suggest to my noble friend that it is possible he may run us into a rather tight fix later and that he should consider whether, as the Rating Bill is to be taken on the following Monday, it might not be to our advantage to take the Tithe Bill one day earlier.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYMy Lords, I will certainly consider whether any better arrangement can be made, but my noble friend is well aware that 1060 Wednesday is not a convenient day on which to take a Bill, because the Orders of the Day do not come first. I cannot fancy that the Committee stage of the Tithe Bill will be finished under a good many hours. It is a matter which is not only complicated, but one which your Lordships thoroughly understand.
§ THE EARL OF MIDLETONI might suggest to my noble friend that such a thing has been done at this period of the Session as to move that the Orders of the Day have precedence over Motions.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI will consider the whole matter and make a statement to-morrow.