HL Deb 07 July 1938 vol 110 cc617-8
LORD SNELL

My Lords, I beg to ask the noble Earl the Leader of the House if he has any statement to make respecting the business of the House.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (EARL STANHOPE)

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord opposite for this opportunity. If the other place gets finished with the Amendments on the Coal Bill before the House rises, then we shall be able to receive these Amendments to-night, and they can be put on the Paper to-morrow, but if that does not occur I propose that there should be a formal sitting of the House to-morrow at eleven o'clock to receive these Amendments from another place. Then perhaps they could be put down on the Paper for consideration by your Lordships on Thursday of next week. I think that is all I need say as regards any business not on the Paper.

But, as your Lordships will observe, there is a good deal of business on Monday next. There is Lord Amulree's Motion regarding the Perth and Kinross Educational Trust Scheme, 1936, and there are two important Second Readings—the Bacon Industry Bill and the Essential Commodities Reserves Bill. Therefore it might be advisable for us to meet on Monday at three o'clock. The following clay, Tuesday, there are three Second Readings, Lord Addison's Motion on agricultural policy, and in addition—this has not yet appeared on the Paper—my noble and learned friend on the Woolsack is taking the Report stage of the Limitation Bill. Again I suggest that it would be advisable for us to meet at three o'clock. On Wednesday I suggest that we should meet at the normal hour, because I do not think there is a great deal of business on that day. On Thursday, however, there is considerable business, including, of course, the consideration of the Amendments to the Coal Bill as returned from another place. Therefore, on Thursday, I suggest we should meet at three. If your Lordships agree to the proposals which I have made we shall meet on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at three o'clock, and on Wednesday at the normal time of a quarter before four.

LORD SNELL

Does the noble Earl anticipate that the proceedings on the Coal Bill will take more than one day?

EARL STANHOPE

I hope not. I do not think there will be many Amendments for consideration; but, as your Lordships know, any one of them may entail a very long debate in your Lordship's House, and I am no more able to make a forecast in regard to that than the noble Lord opposite.