§ LORD ADDISONMy Lords, I crave your Lordships' permission, on a personal matter, to express my regret to a number of noble Lords who had desired to take part in the debate on the Motion—relating to certain aspects of food policy, with special reference to milk and milk products, and their cleanliness and safety—which had stood in my name for to-day, and to apologize to them for the postponement of the debate. It was postponed because it appeared that it would be convenient to the Minister concerned that a little longer time should elapse before the debate took place. I did my best to inform a number of noble Lords who had told me that they wished to take part in the debate, but I should like to express both my sincere regret at its postponement and the hope that it will not be long before it can take place.
VISCOUNT CRANBORNEMy Lords, I am quite sure that my right honourable friend the Minister concerned will share the noble Lord's regret that it was necessary to ask for a postponement. I know that he is anxious to have this debate as soon as possible, but the noble Lord will 308 understand that circumstances may intervene to make the present juncture rather unsatisfactory.
§ THE EARL OF GLASGOWMy Lords, I should like to make the comment that the noble Lord's expression of regret differs a great deal from the statement made yesterday by the noble Lord, Lord Beaverbrook. Lord Beaverbrook was to have initiated a debate yesterday, and I came all the way from Scotland to attend it; and no doubt the inconvenience which I felt was also felt by other noble Lords. I regret to notice that the noble Lord, Lord Beaverbrook, is not in his place to-day, but, to put it quite mildly, I think that he behaved in a manner which caused considerable inconvenience to your Lordships. I hope that on another occasion when he brings a Motion before your Lordships' House he will give plenty of Notice, so that we who live far away can decide to come or not to come as we think fit. The noble Lord's action yesterday occasioned considerable inconvenience to me, and no doubt to others of your Lordships.
LORD STRABOLGIMy Lords, I am not here to look after the interests of the noble Lord, Lord Beaverbrook, but on this subject I was as interested as the noble Earl who has just addressed your Lordships, and I also had prepared some remarks which I wished to make. I happen to know, however, that it would have been quite impossible for the noble Lord to inform the noble Earl, Lord Glasgow, in time. The noble Earl must have travelled down from Scotland the night before in order to be present, but it was only in the morning, for reasons which perfectly satisfied me, that the noble Lord, Lord Beaverbrook, felt that he had to postpone his Motion. He was able to inform me only quite late in the morning by telephone, and I know that he took what steps he could to inform other noble Lords who had intended to take part in the debate. As he is not here, I venture to give that explanation.