§ 3.5 p.m.
§ LORD SCHUSTER had intimated his intention to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can now make any further statement on the subject of the pensions of retired officers in the three Services, and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I regret that I must ask your Lordships' leave to withdraw my Motion for this afternoon and to put it down for a later date. Perhaps the House is entitled to a few words of explanation as to how that comes about. Through a mischance, for which I personally, and nobody else, am responsible, the words at the end of my Motion on the Order Paper announcing my intention to move for Papers, were omitted from the Order Paper until quite recently. I am told that their more recent insertion causes embarrassment to the Government in respect of the kind of debate which might be expected to follow. The last thing I want to do is to embarrass anybody. I hope that I am not inconveniencing any other noble Lords by doing this, but I regret to have to ask leave to withdraw my Motion for the time being.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEY)My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for so doing. I think it is recognised in the House that for the proper conduct of business, Motions or Questions should not be subjected to alteration at the last moment. I think I am correct in saying that the additional words "to move for Papers "have not appeared in the green Notices and Orders of the Day, but have appeared merely on the daily Notices and Orders of the Day. I am sure that the House in general will agree that the matter should be deferred until another day.