§ VISCOUNT HALDANEMy Lords, can the noble Marquess the Leader of the House make any statement to us about the course of business?
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, I am obliged to the noble and learned Viscount. I am afraid that there will have to be a formal sitting of your Lordships to-morrow in order to take the First Reading of the Finance Bill. That is not likely to attract a very large attendance, and I do not suggest that it should, but the meeting is proposed in order to enable us to take the Second Reading of the Finance Bill on Monday. The first Order on Monday is the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Bill, and the Second Order will be the Finance Bill; I understand that it is likely that there will be some discussion on the Finance Bill, although your Lordships are precluded from taking any action in respect of it.
§ VISCOUNT HALDANENot quite that. We generally say a little about it.—
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYThe noble and learned Viscount knows more about the Parliament Act even than I do, so I will not go into that. Next comes the, Fire Brigade Pensions Bill, of which I would ask your Lordships to take one stage, and after that there is the adjourned Electricity Order which was under discussion yesterday and which, at the request of some of your Lordships, was postponed. I hope that we shall be able to deal satisfactorily with that Order when it comes up for discussion on Monday.
§ VISCOUNT HALDANEI see no objection to that course, which is reasonable in the circumstances. I do not think that the discussion on the Finance Bill will be very long, but at the same time this House does exist, with powers with regard to finance as well as other things, although we know that they are restricted.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYI ought, perhaps, to have added that your Lordships will, I hope, make no objection to taking the remaining stages of the Budget on Monday. It is necessary, as the House is aware, to get it through by a particular date, and it is not likely that your Lordships will want to discuss it in Committee.
§ VISCOUNT HALDANEWe cannot do that—at least, we cannot amend it. The noble Marquess will, I suppose, put down a Notice of Motion suspending the Standing Order?
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYYes, in the ordinary course.