§ THE EARL OF GLASGOWMy Lords, I should like to raise a point of order. I wish to refer to incidents which took place in another place last week when the Prime Minister made his great speech. My own experience was that I arrived outside another place at 1.30 p.m. The Prime Minister was to speak at 3 o'clock. As time went on, other Peers arrived, I suppose finally about sixty, who took up their positions in a kind of queue for the limited number of seats in the House of Commons gallery. When the time came to move in there was a rush and a scrum. Really, it was such a scrum that a Peer was knocked down, and in trying to protect him I lost my own place. Surely something can be done about it. I have had experience of queues all over the world, and they are things which ought to be regulated properly. I would suggest that in future we should carry out the marching in in some kind of order. I have merely brought the matter forward in the hope that some suggestion can be made whereby such scenes can be avoided in the future.
§ EARL STANHOPEMy Lords, I can only imagine that some of your Lordships, when you got into another place, adopted a manner such as you would not have adopted in this House. I do not think I am capable of laying down what should be done in another place, 1506 because it is outside my purview. I think noble Lords had not so much to complain of on this occasion as perhaps they might have had on others. After all, we did make arrangements for your Lordships to hear the speech within the precincts of this House. I am told that that was appreciated by some noble Lords, although severely criticised by others. I hope that the next time noble Lords go to another place they will set an example to others.
LORD BALFOUR OF BURLEIGHMy Lords, I should like to make a practical suggestion which I think would really meet the point. I have had occasion for a good many years to attend the Budget speech, and I am aware that there is great difficulty in going up to the Peers' Gallery. The difficulty arises from the fact that your Lordships are not allowed to enter the Peers' Gallery of another place before prayers. I understand that that privilege is not accorded to us in another place because, similarly, a like privilege is not accorded to members of another place when they come here. Could not an arrangement be made whereby Peers could be allowed to enter their Gallery before prayers in the House of Commons, a similar concession being given to members of the House of Commons in your Lordships' House? Then, I think, such scenes as that to which the noble Earl has referred would be avoided.
§ VISCOUNT CECIL OF CHELWOODMy Lords, I did not go to another place, but there does seem to be a grievance. Could not the noble Earl, Lord Stanhope, communicate with the authorities of the other House?
§ EARL STANHOPEMy Lords, I shall be very glad to go into the matter. The question has taken me by surprise, although I knew there had been difficulty for the Peers using the Peers' Gallery. I will certainly look into the matter.
§ THE EARL OF GLASGOWI must apologise for not having given notice. I only desired to ventilate the matter.
§ EARL STANHOPEI have already moved the Motion in regard to the Recess, and I now beg to move that the House do now adjourn.
§ Moved accordingly, and, on Question, Motion agreed to.
§ House adjourned at seventeen minutes past seven o'clock.