§ 2.42 p.m.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, with your Lordships' permission, I should like to ask the noble Marquess the Leader of the House this Question, of which I have given Private Notice: To ask the noble Marquess who leads the House whether he has any statement to make on tomorrow's programme of Business.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, as your Lordships know, it had been intended to take tomorrow the Motion standing in the name of the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, on the subject of Cyprus. On account, however, of the delicate stage which negotiations with regard to that island have now reached, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies, about the end of last week, asked me whether it would be possible to arrange for a postponement of any debate in this House at this particular juncture. His subsequent decision himself to go to Cyprus will, I am sure, show your Lordships how important that was. In the light of that request, I got in touch with the noble Viscount, Lord Alexander of Hillsborough, and he was good enough to agree to the course suggested, subject, of course, to what the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, himself might say. I then got in touch with the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, and it was decided, with his agreement, to postpone his Motion to a later date. I should like, if I may, to take this opportunity of thanking the, noble Earl for his courtesy. As your Lordships know, he is always extremely helpful and understanding when the national interest is concerned.
The question then arose: what Business should we put down for to-morrow? I can assure your Lordships that I did my best to find some alternative, but time was extremely short and I am afraid that I have failed. Therefore, the Sitting tomorrow will inevitably be formal except for three Starred Questions, one of which will include a statement of some importance on the Caribbean Federation Conference which I know the House will wish to hear. I can only say how sorry I am, but I am sure the House will understand my difficulties in the special circumstances of the case. I can, at any rate, assure the House that as soon as possible a statement will be made on Cyprus, after which I hope that the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, will allow me to agree with him on a date convenient to him for holding a debate on his postponed Motion.
§ 2.45 p.m.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged for the statement of the noble Marquess. With regard to Business to-morrow, I can understand the difficulty 6 of the Leader of the House. I appreciate that the Business will not take very long. May I ask, therefore, at what time the noble Marquess proposes that the House should meet, if the statement on the Caribbean Federation Conference cannot be made before the statement in the other place?
§ THE EARL OF SWINTONMy Lords, before the noble Marquess answers that question, may I make this suggestion to him? A large number of noble Lords have indicated their wish to speak to-day on my Motion, and I understand it is possible that yet other noble Lords may desire to speak. Would it be convenient that we should rise at a reasonable time to-day? I see that the name of the noble Viscount, Lord Samuel, whom we all wish to hear, is very low on the list in the order of "going in." This debate might possibly stand over—it is not a matter involving a Division—and be continued to-morrow, if that is for the general convenience of the House.
§ LORD SHERWOODMy Lords, I agree with the noble Earl, Lord Swinton, that, when they have listened to some of the speeches in this debate, other noble Lords will probably want to speak. This is a convenient moment to decide to carry the debate over, so that we can continue it to-morrow.
§ THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURYOf course, I am entirely in the hands of the House. We have a free day to-morrow and, if that is the wish of your Lordships, so far as the Government are concerned we should be delighted for this course to be adopted. But I understand that the noble Viscount, Lord Samuel, who wishes to speak later in the debate may find it difficult to be here to-morrow. However, if that is not the case, I suggest that we should go on till a convenient hour—say 6.30 or seven o'clock—and then, if the list of speakers has not been completed or if there are other noble Lords who have become pregnant with speech, we could adjourn.
§ VISCOUNT SAMUELIf it is convenient to carry the debate over, I shall certainly be in my place to-morrow.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, we must be in the hands of the House; we are in such a small minority. In the ordinary 7 course, I should have thought that we had not so many speakers on the Paper that we could not dispose of the Motion to-day. There are people who come here at great inconvenience and who have other things to do, and, wherever we are able to save time, we are anxious to save time—but I leave it to the House.