§ 4.3 p.m.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords, I see that a large number of your Lordships are proposing to discuss the Motion relating to civil aviation standing in the name of the noble Viscount, the Leader of the Opposition, and I have been thinking that it might be to the convenience of your Lordships if, after the debate had proceeded for an appropriate time, it could be adjourned and completed another day. We are entirely at your pleasure, but the number of speakers is very long, and if it would be more convenient, my noble friend would be quite glad to move the adjournment of the debate and to complete it another day. If that is agreeable, I suggest that the day to which it should be adjourned should be Wednesday next, after the Motion of the noble Earl, Lord Drogheda, on the question of the Foreign Service.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I certainly think it would be very convenient to adjourn the debate. We cannot possibly get through the debate on this very important subject to-day and, obviously, it would be convenient 622 that the debate should be adjourned. But I suggest that the date to which we should adjourn it is next Tuesday. My noble friend the Leader of the Opposition is unable to be here to-day, and very strong representations have been made to me that the Committee stage of the Bill which we discussed yesterday —the Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Bill—should not be taken next Tuesday. Indeed, to take it then would be a very unusual procedure. The normal procedure is that about a week should elapse between the Second Reading and the Committee stage. We do not sit upon a Friday, and, therefore, there is only an hour, or two hours, whatever the time is for which we sit now, in which noble Lords could put down Amendments which they wish to raise in Committee on this very important Bill. I suggest to your Lordships therefore, and to the Leader of the House, that the natural and convenient course to take would be to adjourn this debate, at an appropriate hour to-day, until next Tuesday, and certainly not to take the Committee stage of the Bill I have mentioned until next Wednesday: That, at least, would give one Parliamentary day during which—
§ VISCOUNT SWINTON—we might, through the usual channels, discuss what is a convenient time, indeed the constitutional time, at which the Committee stage of the Bill should be taken. Definitely, it should not be taken next Tuesday. This debate should be adjourned till that day.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONI am always most anxious, of course, to meet the convenience of noble Lords. At the same time, I am not particularly impressed by the suggestion of the noble Viscount that a week is required, because to-day is Thursday, and, as yesterday was Wednesday, it will be a week all but a day.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONNot Parliamentary days.
§ VISCOUNT ADDISONWe do not, of course, want to delay it longer than can be avoided, but it occurred to me, looking at the Order Paper to see what could be suggested to meet the noble Viscount, that we might have the Supplies and Services Bill Committee stage as the first 623 Order on Thursday. That gives two more days. I hope that that compromise will be acceptable, in which case, we will adjourn this debate until Tuesday. I should require a little advice as to where it will come in the Order Paper on Tuesday, but if that proposal is acceptable, it seems to me reasonable to adjourn the debate to-day until Tuesday, as the noble Viscount suggests, and to take the Supplies and Services Bill in Committee as the first Order on Thursday.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONPerhaps the matter might be discussed a little further through the usual channels, as we wish to get on with the debate; but, provisionally, as I understand it, the Committee stage of the Supplies and Services Bill will be taken on Thursday, which will give two full Parliamentary days next week during which anything can be put down on the Paper for Thursday.