§ 2.35 p.m.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I should like to inform the House that as there do not appear to be many speakers who wish to take part in the debate on the Post Office the Motion standing in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Brabazon of Tara, dealing with airlines and the use of kerosene, will be taken after the Post Office debate on Wednesday.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am not so sure about this. We do not know yet how many more names will be put down for the Post Office debate, unless there is an arrangement for a sort of self-denial on the part of the Conservatives who might put their names down at the last minute. If that were being arranged, I should not think it was treating ordinary 2 Notices of Motion of this kind quite fairly.
EARL ST. ALDWYNThe date of this debate has been arranged for a long time, and at the moment there are only two names down℄and this is two days before, when one would normally have expected to receive the total number of names.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHI know of three names, at any rate. The Motion is to be moved by Lord Crook, whose name is on the Paper, and two ex-Postmasters General, both of whom were of Cabinet rank, are to speak, all from this side. It is not saying much for the attitude of the other side if they have nothing to say on such an important question.
LORD REAMy Lords, this Motion is surely the only subject on the Paper for Wednesday. There are many occasions when we deal with more than one Motion. I should have thought that, if there are not a great many names down at the moment, or even if a few more names are put down between now and Wednesday, we might extend ourselves a little to take the Motion by the noble Lord, Lord Brabazon of Tara, as well.
EARL ST. ALDWYNI ventured to think that there was room for another four or five names, at least, without leaving the Motion by Lord Brabazon of Tara for too late an hour.