BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. (Hansard, 29 February 1940)

§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (EARL STANHOPE)

My Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Lord. I propose that the House should meet next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, each day at four o'clock. On Tuesday I propose that we should take the Third Reading of the Industrial Assurance Bill, to be followed by Lord Strabolgi's Motion on unemployment, particularly among professional and other black-coated workers. On Wednesday we have Lord Ponsonby's Motion about Ministerial speeches. On Thursday I propose that we should take the Committee stage of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous War Provisions) Bill, which we read a second time this evening. If the Rating and Valuation Bill is received from another place on Tuesday, I propose that we should also take the Second Reading of that Bill on Thursday, March 7.

In addition, some time during the week there is the Committee stage of the Solicitors (Emergency Provisions) Bill, of which the noble and learned Lord, Lord Wright, is in charge. I do not think that there will be any Government statement on the war next week, nor do I think it likely that we shall get the Old Age Pensions Bill from another place in time to be able to deal with it until the week following, as probably it will not get to us until March 12. I think I shall have to ask your Lordships to push on with it rather fast then, if we are to get it through all its stages and passed into law before the Easter Recess. I think everybody will agree that this is advisable, but we shall not have a great deal of time to deal with it; therefore I shall have to ask your Lordships to take it through its various stages one after the other when eventually we get it in this House.