§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I should like to ask the noble Leader of the House a Question of which I have given private Notice. It is whether he can make a statement to the House on the course of business in regard to the Bill down for consideration on the Order Paper to-day observing that there are thirty-two speakers down for to-day, which, if they all speak with reasonable consideration, will take us apparently past midnight, I wonder whether he would wish to force the noble and learned Viscount who sits upon the Woolsack and who has to wind up on Thursday to do as he did before: to listen to every speech. It would be another feat of great physical endurance. What is the object in pressing forward 608 the debate at this rate? What is in the Government's mind? Could we have some idea of what they are doing and of what the course of business will be on this Bill?
THE EARL OF HOMEMy Lords, I shall be glad to answer the noble Viscount the Leader of the Opposition. We hope to complete the Second Reading of the Bill on Thursday this week: that will give two full days for debate. I have gone down the list of speakers with a great deal of care, and I found that a great many of them spoke in the two days' debate we had a fortnight ago. I should guess, as the noble Viscount hazards, that they will not make very long speeches, and I suggest they should not. I shall not myself offend in that way. I hope, therefore, that we shall get through the Second Reading on Thursday evening.
THE EARL OF HOMEWe hope to get through at a reasonable time, say 7.30. If necessary, we can sit longer. We are quite fresh in the Session; the noble Viscount looks very well. I should hope that we may have the Committee stage on Tuesday, December 17. As the noble Viscount sees, it is a Bill of pretty limited scope. I do not know whether one day will suffice; we can consider it at that time. I am anxious to leave something like a fortnight between the Second Reading and the Committee stage, as the House always wishes, because I think it right that we should do so. I hope we may get on with that programme.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHIt seems to us on this side of the House that there is an unnecessary rush with the proceedings for this Bill and we are wondering what the ultimate motive is in pressing it so quickly when there are other political events foreshadowed ahead. I should have thought it would be possible to meet one day next week and complete the Second Reading of the Bill and yet not to foresee any considerable delay for the next stage.
THE EARL OF HOMEI hope we can get on; we have been fifty years on the job. As it is, we shall not get this Bill into another place before the middle of February, and then they have to debate 609 it, Future political events always have their shadow over noble Lords opposite, so the situation will not alter.