§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I should like to raise a question about Business. It is communicated to us through the usual channels that next Thursday, after dealing with the Covent Garden Market Bill, it is proposed to sit, if necessary, as late as 11 o'clock at night in Committee on the Licensing Bill. That would be highly inconvenient, and I hope that the suggestion which has been made through the usual channels is not going to be pursued. I understand that 1468 two other days for the Committee stage on the Licensing Bill are to be available in the following week, and those of us who have a keen interest in the Bill and cannot stay late on Thursday really object most strongly to this.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I am glad the noble Viscount has drawn my attention to this matter. Of course we have a great deal of Business to get through, but if the noble Viscount is prepared to discuss this point further through the usual channels I am sure we shall do what we can to meet his objection.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am very much obliged to the noble Viscount. He knows that there is some criticism of this Bill and that it is not going to have an easy passage. I am not hiding the fact. But those of us who have spent days and days putting through two major Government Bills which are now pushed out altogether do not want to be sweating like an ox in order to get a Bill we do not want.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, the picture of the noble Viscount as a patient ox is a totally novel one to me.
LORD REAMy Lords, may I ask the noble Viscount the Leader of the House, when he is arranging for the usual channels to be used, to ensure that those channels be adequately dredged so that communications may flow more freely in all directions?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I shall certainly note what the noble Lord said. We do not want, in the discussion, to miss him.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I should like to make it clear to the noble Lord that we have not asked for any privilege in this matter. The discussions took place through the usual channels. I am sorry to hear that he has not been consulted. I hope that he will be.