§ LORD PARMOORBefore public business begins may I ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House whether he can give us any information as to his future plans?
§ THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, as you are aware the Local Government (Scotland) Bill stands for Second Reading this afternoon. I am in hopes that we shall get that Second Reading, if your Lordships are good enough to give it us, in good time. If not, I suppose the debate will have to be adjourned and continued to-morrow. That will not interfere, I hope, with the Third Reading of the English Bill which stands as first Order to-morrow. From certain inquiries I have made I gather that that Bill is not likely to take very long. I am given to understand that on Third Reading there are a certain number of Amendments which have to be discussed, but most of them are drafting Amendments. There are few Amendments of substance—so I am informed—so that we shall be able probably to conclude the proceedings on that Bill to-morrow, whether the Scottish Bill is finished this afternoon or not. If your Lordships wish to sit after dinner to-morrow, of course that could be arranged.
The Government propose to take the Committee stage of the Scottish Bill on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. That time, I am informed, ought to be sufficient to fulfil the obligations upon that stage of the Bill. Should that prove to be the case, the House might adjourn for the Recess on Wednesday evening, and I hope that a certain holiday will be permitted to us. I thought, perhaps, your Lordships might be willing to return on Thursday, April 11, in order to take the Report stage of the Scottish Bill. As to the Third Reading of that Bill, we must see when we get to the Report stage how much more work there is to be done upon it.