§ 4.5 p.m.
THE LORD CHANCELLORMy Lords, in view of the large number of important Amendments to be taken on the Report stage of the Companies Bill, I am going to suggest to your Lordships that the Bill should be recommitted. The practice of your Lordships' House that only one speech may lx made on the Report stage is likely to affect adversely a proper consideration of these Amendments, and I confess that I might find some difficulty in dealing with them all from the Woolsack. I am proposing to put a Motion on the paper for to-morrow asking your Lordships to discharge the Order for the Report of Amendments, and to allow the Bill to be recommitted tomorrow. I may add that I hope this will not involve extra delay; and that in consequence the Report stage, when it is taken, will be more or less formal.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I am glad the noble and learned Viscount, the Lord Chancellor, has made this extremely practical proposal. We have not many Rules of Order, and I am not sure that we are very good at keeping those we are supposed to have. Perhaps even the noble and learned Viscount, the Lord Chancellor, would find difficulty if he had to deal with thirty pages of Amendments in a single speech. I do not think consideration of those Amendments will take long, thanks to the great care which the noble and learned Viscount has given to them. I take it the suggestion means that we shall take the recommitted Committee stage to-morrow, as arranged?
§ 4.7 P.m.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DOMINION AFFAIRS (VISCOUNT ADDISON)My Lords, in moving the Motion that stands in my name, I should inform your Lordships that it has been arranged through the usual channels that time will be found for Lord Mancroft's Motion on the re-forming of the Territorial Army next Wednesday. The only Government business that will have special precedence that day will be the Dog Racecourse Betting (Temporary Provisions) Bill, so we may hope to reach the noble Lord's Motion without undue delay, as we do not expect the proceedings on that Bill to be prolonged. 1 should also like to take this opportunity of informing your Lordships that the hour of meeting for public business on Thursday and on Monday next will be 2.30 p.m., as my noble and learned friend on the Woolsack has informed me that the Chamber will not be required for judicial business on those afternoons. The business on Thursday next will consist of further proposals on the Companies Bill, and the debate on the Motion standing in the name of Lord Reading. We shall consult the noble Marquess's convenience as to the precise order of business, as his Motion has been on the Paper for some time and the change of hour of meeting may perhaps conflict with his own arrangements and arrangements which he may have made with other noble Lords interested to take part in the debate. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That Standing Orders Nos. XXI and XXXIX be considered in order to their being suspended until the House adjourn for the recess at Easter, and that, until that date, Government business have, except with the consent of the Government, precedence over other Notices and Orders of the Day—(Viscount Addison.)
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, we should wish to be as reasonable as the noble Leader of the House has been to accommodate the noble Marquess in any way, providing that no surprise is sprung upon ns in the way of asking us to pass Bills sub silentio.
THE MARQUESS OF READINGMy Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Leader of the House for the special consideration which he has extended to me. 644 I would not ask for any indulgence were it not for the fact that I am actually engaged upstairs on that day on other business connected with your Lordships' House, which would make 2.3o p.m. a very difficult hour.