§ 3.59 p.m.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, it might be convenient if I, with your Lordships' permission, were now to interrupt the debate to make a statement on Business. Owing to the number of Amendments which have been set down for the Committee stage of the Landlord and Tenant. Bill to-morrow, Thursday, it has been arranged, through the usual channels—and we hope it will be with your Lordships' general consent—that there shall be an adjournment for dinner from 7 o'clock until 8.30, when the Committee stage will be resumed.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware whether we are to have a second day for the Committee stage of that Bill? We have asked for a second day, I believe.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWMy Lords, so far as I am aware at the moment, one day has been arranged with all the Parties.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I did not understand that there was any arrangement between all Parties. It is very late to inform us that we may be here until some unknown time after dinner tomorrow, if necessary. Noble Lords on this side, as well as noble Lords opposite, are quite prepared to sit until late at night, but is it really necessary? Is it not better to have two days, so that we can complete our work in the proper manner, in ordinary hours, on this important Bill? This is a very important Bill which will affect millions of people throughout the years, and I do not see why we should rush it through in one day.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWSo far as I am aware, it was arranged through the usual channels that one day should be given on the programme, as agreed at that time. It was not known that there would be forty-seven Amendments on the Marshalled List. Of course the noble Lord will recall that in the days when noble Lords opposite sat on this side of the House we often sat very late indeed on some of their Bills.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am in a difficult position about this matter, because I have not had a note from my noble and learned Leader about any conversations through the usual channels. That may be the fault of our side. I only wish to protect the position of noble Lords who are engaged on the further stages of this Bill. We were rather concerned that such an important Bill should be discussed in Committee for the first time as other than the first Order of the Day. It was only after considerable heartburning that we consented to have some of the Amendments which would have to be considered on this Bill dealt with as a later Order on the first day. For the noble Earl to come along now, after we have consented to take some time upon that day, and suggest that we should sit after dinner, when many Members of the House have made pressing engagements for that evening, is quite unreasonable. We should be quite willing to start the Committee stage of the Bill after the first Order had been disposed of and carry on until a reasonable hour, but not thereafter.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWI think it will be remembered that the reason why this Committee stage appears as second Order on the Paper is entirely due to our efforts to meet noble Lords opposite. The Second Reading of the other Bill was postponed after arrangements had been made. I am quite certain of my facts there. This suggestion was put forward to all noble Lords, and no difficulty has been raised until now. It is impossible to judge how lone one of these Committee stages is likely to take until the number of Amendments can be seen on the Marshalled List; and as noble Lords know, they come very late in the day.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHAll I am saying is this—I am hampered because I have not had an opportunity of speaking to my noble Leader about this. We are quite ready to start consideration of the Amendments to-morrow. We understand that that is necessary because we had to postpone the debate on the Civil Defence (Armed Forces) Bill. We feel, however, that we cannot say that we will sit to any hour of the night to-morrow. Perhaps in the course of this evening we can have a 488 continuation of conversations through the usual channels.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWI would say this to the noble Viscount. I personally saw the noble Lord, Lord Silkin, who is dealing with this Bill for the Opposition, and he said quite definitely that he would prefer this arrangement. I know that it is not quite so convenient to the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack. Also, I have conferred with the noble Lord the Chief Whip through the usual channels, and presumably the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, has passed it on to his Party.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHThe difficulty may have arisen from this side, as I said before. We certainly had no notice that an announcement to that effect was to be made this afternoon.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWIt is the usual practice, when the Whips have agreed something—as this was agreed with the noble Lords, Lord Shepherd and and Lord Silkin—that one of the Ministers or one of the Whips makes a formal announcement about the agreement made. Since I have been in the House, which is some years now, that has always been the common practice, and I am sorry if the noble Viscount was not informed.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHI have not heard a word about it, and it will be extremely awkward for me.