PROLONGATION OF PARLIAMENT BILL. (Hansard, 9 November 1944)

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I beg to move the Second Reading of the Prolongation of Parliament Bill, but I do not think that it will be necessary greatly to prolong our own proceedings on that account. As your Lordships know, the Bill authorizes the continued existence of this Parliament for a further twelve months, but, of course, it does not in any way limit the possibility of a Dissolution occurring before the twelve months are complete. Your Lordships will all have in mind the speech which the Prime Minister made in another place when he himself moved the Second Reading of the Bill there, and how he then indicated his own anticipation that in the course of the year it was likely that we should have a General Election. I took short leave of absence from the House in the middle of the day in order to be present at the Mansion House, and there the Prime Minister in the course of his speech in substance re- 1101 peated that observation. In these circumstances, I cannot doubt that your Lordships, whose continued existence as members of Parliament does not depend on an Election, will be graciously pleased to give a Second Reading to this Bill, and I beg to move that it be now read a second time.