§ 3.0 p.m.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE EARL OF HOME)My Lords, with your Lordships' permission I should like to make an announcement with regard to future Business for this week. The noble Lord, Lord Lawson, has at the last moment been compelled by his duties as Lord Lieutenant of the County of Durham to postpone his Motion on the Report of the United Kingdom delegates to the International Labour Conference, which stands on the Order Paper for next Thursday afternoon. He is postponing it until the following Thursday, February 9. The only other Business for Thursday this week was a Starred Question in the name of the noble Viscount, Lord Elibank, and this has been postponed owing to the temporary illness of my noble friend Lord Reading. There is therefore no Public Business left on the Order Paper for Thursday, and we do not propose to ask your Lordships to meet on that day. I am sorry that it was impossible for me to give earlier notice of this change, but if the weather continues as it is, perhaps this decision will not be unwelcome.