§ VISCOUNT HALDANEMy Lords, I rise to ask the noble Earl the Lord President of the Council whether he can give us any information as to the probable course of public business in this House.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE EARL OF BALFOUR)My Lords, I understand that it will be convenient for the House not to meet as late to-morrow as the ordinary hour and I shall propose, therefore, when we adjourn to-day that we adjourn till half past three o'clock to-morrow. On that occasion the noble and learned Lord opposite [Lord Parmoor] proposes, I understand, to raise a debate upon China. That is the only business—of course, it is of some considerable importance—which will be transacted to-morrow. There are, however, three Bills which ought to be read a second time this week. None of them, I think, need take any great length of time, and I propose to put them down for Second Reading on Thursday. They are the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill, the Police Pensions Bill and the Lead Paint (Protection against Poisoning) Bill. That will be all the work that I think will fall upon your Lordships during the present week.
With regard to next week, there is no business down at present for Tuesday. On Wednesday, there is a question on the Order Paper in the name of Lord Parmoor regarding the late Council and Assembly at Geneva, and on Thursday I think it will be desirable that we should take the Committee stage of both the Police Pensions Bill and the Lead Paint Bill, which I trust, as I have already explained, will be read a second time next Thursday. I am unable at present to inform your Lordships when the Electricity (Supply) Bill, the largest of the measures which are coming up in the 600 immediate future, will reach us from another place. It is just possible that it may come here early next week, but I do not think it is probable. In any case I will do my best to see that full notice is given of it before it is discussed.