HL Deb 11 May 1938 vol 108 cc1038-40
LORD STRABOLGI

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend, may I ask the Leader of the House whether he has any statement to make on business?

EARL STANHOPE

My Lords, I am obliged to the noble Lord for giving me this opportunity. Perhaps I might remind your Lordships that to-morrow we have an important debate on the Air Service. I propose that we should meet on Monday next to consider the Eire (Confirmation of Agreements) Bill—Ireland, as it is more familiarly called—and take the Second Reading then. On the following day, if your Lordships will agree, I propose that we should take the further stages of that Bill, suspending the Standing Order for the purpose. As your Lordships know, we cannot touch the Agreements themselves, and therefore I do not think that any of your Lordships is likely to wish to have any debate on the Committee or Report stage. I anticipate that debate will be entirely on the Second Reading, which we shall take on Monday. On Tuesday, therefore, we shall have the Housing (Agricultural Population) (Scotland) Bill, in its Committee stage, the Report stage of the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Bill, and one or two other small measures. On Wednesday, the 18th, we shall have the foreign affairs debate on the Motion of the noble Lord, the Leader of the Opposition, when I think it is very likely, from what I understand, that we shall sit after dinner, as there are a fairly large number of speakers. On Thursday, the 19th, there is the Motion of the noble Lord, Lord Hastings, on going into Committee on the Coal Bill, and that Bill will take the whole of the rest of Thursday. I do not think I need look further ahead, except to tell your Lordships that I may have to ask you again to sit on Monday week, May 23. I hope I have made the proposed business clear.

LORD STRABOLGI

The noble Earl did not say whether we shall meet at the usual time on Wednesday next, or at three o'clock.

EARL STANHOPE

If your Lordships agree I think it would be much better if we met at three o'clock. There are nine speakers down already, and other names are coming in. If your Lordships agree I think we had better meet at three o'clock.

THE EARL OF LIVERPOOL

Is it proposed to take the Coal Bill on Wednesday?

EARL STANHOPE

No, we shall take the Coal Bill on Thursday, as soon as Lord Hastings' Motion has been disposed of.

House adjourned at half-past six o'clock.