§ LORD PONSONBY OF SHULBREDEMy Lords, may I now ask whether the noble Viscount can give spine indication with regard to our business in the concluding part of this Parliamentary Session? I have already communicated to him that my noble friend Lord Arnold is putting down a Motion for to-morrow week, October 26, with regard to the decisions of the Ottawa Conference and the consequences that have ensued from them, and, although not desiring to trouble your Lordships to come up for that day, I understand now that other business has arisen for that week. Our object in putting down the Motion was to allow a full debate at an early stage on what has amounted to a governmental crisis. We on this side of the House feel that when the Bills come before us, not only is the debate restricted, but your Lordships' House has not the right to interfere with or oppose Money Bills, and very likely Standing Orders may have to be suspended in order to get these Bills through with the greatest possible expedition. We therefore thought it would be for the convenience of your Lordships to have a full and free debate at an early stage, when there would be ample time for discussion. For that reason my noble friend Lord Arnold has put down this Motion, which we shall be free to divide on if necessary. Perhaps the noble and learned Viscount could say whether there is any other business in the next few weeks? I may say that we have put down a Motion for the following day, October 27, on the Board of Education's Circular No. 1421.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, so far as I know at present, and subject to anything unforeseen arising, the remainder of this Session will be occupied, so far as His Majesty's Government are concerned, with the discussion of the Ottawa Bill or Bills. I rather anticipate that those will not be Money Bills. That is a matter which 803 does not he within the scope of my decision, but I think at any rate it will be found that they do not fall within the definition of a Money Bill; and that there will be no need, therefore, for any restricted discussion when they come before your Lordships' House for decision. So far as next week is concerned, I understand that my noble friend Lord Buckmaster wishes to raise a matter with regard to road transport, and that he proposes to put down a Motion on that subject for next Tuesday. I think that probably, in that event, it may be convenient to take the Second Reading of the two small Bills to which your Lordships have just given a First Reading, neither of which, I think, raises any matter between the two sides of the House.
On Wednesday of next week, as the noble Lord has indicated, there is to be a Motion from the opposite side of the House on the merits of the Ottawa proposals, on which, as he truly says, your Lordships' House will be free to divide. That, of course, is a matter entirely for his decision, and, so far as His Majesty's Government are concerned, naturally we can only accept that decision, and invite our supporters to come and register their view on the Ottawa proposals on Wednesday of next week. Perhaps we shall not be sorry to have an opportunity of stating those views as emphatically as possible and as early as possible. Then on the following day there is the Motion on education which the noble Lord, Lord Sanderson, is moving; and that, so far as I know, concludes the business for that week. I would suggest, therefore, that probably the convenient course would be to adjourn to-day until next Tuesday, then to have those three days occupied with business, and then again to adjourn till the following Tuesday when, if there is any other Motion which it is desired to bring forward, we can deal with it, and, if not, we can adjourn until such date as we are able to have possession of the Ottawa Bills from another place.
§ LORD PONSONBY OF SHULBREDEMy Lords, the noble and learned Viscount did not give any indication as to when the Motion for the carrying over of the London Passenger Transport Bill will be taken—whether it will be taken in this House before it is dealt with in the Commons.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I am afraid I cannot give any more information than this. Obviously there will have to be a carry-over Motion, and it would not be reasonable to ask the other House to deal with the Bill in the remaining period of the Session. I think the probability is that it will come to us from another place. I understand that is what happened previously, and my noble friend the Lord Chairman of Committees (the Earl of Onslow) indicates that that is what he expects. I am afraid I have not an exact date for it in my mind at the moment, but probably it will be convenient, if it comes up in time, to deal with it before we proceed to the Ottawa Resolutions.
There is one matter in regard to which I have just been informed. The Transport Motion by my noble friend Lord Buckmaster is naturally one which I should like my noble friend Lord Plymouth to deal with, because he has been familiar with the Transport Department during the last twelve months. Unfortunately my noble friend (the Earl of Plymouth) is compelled, owing to a public engagement, to be absent next Tuesday, and there may be a difficulty, therefore, about taking the Motion on that day. Would your Lordships think it unreasonable if I were to suggest, in these circumstances, that we adjourn until next Tuesday? We will communicate with the noble and learned Lord, Lord Buckmaster, and afterwards cause an intimation to be published as to whether his Motion will he effective for next Tuesday, or whether he is prepared to put it off till a later day.
§ House adjourned at half past four o'clock.