§ LORD PONSONBY OF SHULBREDEMy Lords, before we adjourn perhaps the noble and learned Viscount the Leader of the House will be good enough to tell us whether there is any alteration in the work which he foreshadowed would be taken in the remaining part of the week? I should also like to ask if there is any alteration in the date on which it is proposed we shall reassemble after Whitsuntide; and if I may put a third question it is whether he can tell us what will be the business before us when the House resumes?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, the Motion on emigration to the Dominions which was put down for to-morrow in the name of my noble friend Viscount Elibank has been postponed by him until after Whitsuntide. I think it is now put down for May 31. Therefore that Motion will not appear on the Order Paper to-morrow. My noble friend the Lord Privy Seal proposes to move tomorrow the Second Reading of the British Museum Bill, as was suggested by one of your Lordships last week. Then we propose to have a Royal Commission at half past five to-morrow afternoon to give the Royal Assent to such Bills as have been passed. I hope that 421 in another place the Amendments to the Wheat Bill will be dealt with to-day. I would suggest further that, we have a purely formal sitting on Friday morning in order to give a First Reading to the Children and Young Persons Bill, which I understand is likely to receive a Third Reading in another place, and also a small Bill dealing with hire purchase and small debts in Scotland assuming that that passes in another place. In that case we should have these Bills to deal with as soon as we come back.
The second question which the noble Lord asked was as to the date of reassembly. So far as I have been able to ascertain there will be only enough work for two days in the first week. Therefore I think that probably it will be more convenient to your Lordships if, instead of meeting on May 24 and then adjourning to May 26, we decided to defer reassembling until Wednesday, May 25. In that way we shall have an 422 extra day's adjournment. When we come back—this is in answer to the noble Lord's last question—I would suggest that on Wednesday, May 25, we might take the Committee stage of the Bill which has just received a Second Reading. If your Lordships give a Second Reading to the British Museum Bill tomorrow we might also take the Committee stage of that Bill, and perhaps also take the Second Reading of the Hire Purchase and Small Debt (Scotland) Bill which we expect to receive on Friday. None of those will give rise to any prolonged discussion or any controversy so far as I can ascertain. On Thursday, May 26, your Lordships will be asked to give a Second Reading to the Children and Young Persons Bill, which of course is one of the principal Government measures and will no doubt require careful consideration.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before six o'clock.