§ 2.35 p.m.
§ EARL FORTESCUEMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government whether they can indicate the business for next week, and the length of the Whitsuntide recess.
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, on behalf of the Chief Whip, I thank the noble Earl for this opportunity. The House will adjourn for the Whitsuntide recess to-morrow week, Friday, May 23, though the sitting that day, when we expect to receive a Bill from another place, will be purely formal. Otherwise, the adjournment for Whitsun will take place after the completion of public business next Thursday, May 22. The House will reassemble on Tuesday, June 3.
The principal business next week will be as follows. We shall meet on Monday next at 2.3o p.m., when there will be a debate on the Motion of the noble Lord, Lord Llewellin, on the proposal to build a new power station on the Bankside site. On Tuesday and Wednesday next we shall meet at 2.3o p.m. and shall take the Second Reading stage of the Transport Bill. The only business at present in prospect for Thursday next is a Motion by the noble Lord, Lord Methuen, urging the scheduling of King's Weston, near Bristol, as an ancient monument. The actual hour of meeting that day will be announced later. There will be a Royal Commission during the week, either on Wednesday or Thursday, and we are expecting to receive the Town and Country Planning and the National Service Bills from another place in the course of the week. As I have already said, we shall meet formally on Friday morning, May 23, if the Statistics of Trade Bill has been completed there on Thursday next.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, of course the Transport Bill will take precedence on Wednesday next. There was a Motion on the Order Paper for that day. I do not know whether any arrangement has been made about that, and whether it is going to be taken or not.
THE EARL OF PERTHMy Lords, I had a Motion down for that day, but it is to be postponed until after the recess.
§ EARL FORTESCUEI beg to thank the noble Lord, Lord Henderson, for his reply. We shall be grateful if he can inform the House what the business is likely to be immediately after the recess.
§ LORD HENDERSONMy Lords, we propose to take the Second Reading stage of the National Service Bill when the House reassembles on Tuesday, June 3. On Wednesday and Thursday, June 4 and 5, we hope to take the Second Reading of the Town and Country Planning Bill. These dates have been arranged after discussion through the usual channels, and it is hoped that they will be found to meet the general convenience of your Lordships. I should perhaps add, that after Whitsuntide, as the Judicial Sittings of your Lordships will then be resumed, we shall have to revert to the usual hour of meeting for public business on Mondays and Thursdays—namely at 4 o'clock instead of 2.30 p.m.
§ EARL FORTESCUEMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Lord for his further reply.