§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, with permission, I should like to make a short Business Statement, which I promised to make yesterday. In the event of the Commons passing the Prices and Incomes (No. 2) Bill on Monday, it would in the normal course receive its First Reading here next Tuesday, July 11. Following discussions through the usual channels, I shall be seeking the agreement of the House to take the Second Reading on Wednesday, July 12, and the Committee and the remaining stages on Thursday, the 13th I shall ask leave to suspend the relevant Standing Order next Tuesday for this purpose. As I suggested yesterday, with the concurrence of noble Lords opposite who took part in the debate—and I think it was generally agreed—it will be for the convenience of the House if Amendments on the Committee stage of the Prices and Incomes (No. 2) Bill are handed to the Public Bill Office and drafted in reference to the House of Lords Paper printed on June 28. Such Amendments will be circulated in the usual way and may be tabled from now on. Naturally, the proposed arrangements will be notified in our daily Notices and Orders and will be given the widest possible circulation.
§ THE EARL OF DUNDEEMy Lords, as I told your Lordships when we discussed the Prices and Incomes (No. 2) Bill last night, we are accepting this arrangement because we are most anxious to help the noble Lord, Lord Shepherd, in his difficulties, which we appreciate. But we hope that this will not be taken as a precedent which might adversely affect our rights of discussion, and we feel that this July congestion of Business could be largely avoided if the Government as a whole would take the trouble to introduce the right measures in the right House at the right time.
§ LORD BYERSMy Lords, may I add my support to what the noble Earl has said? Could we not, surely for the next Session, get a better arrangement of Business, particularly at this time of the year, by starting Bills in this House rather than in the other?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, first may I say to the noble Earl that I am one who likes an easy life, and this problem has given me a good deal of anxious thought during the last two or three days. I should hope that this will not be a precedent, although, in fairness to the House, I must admit that this is what I said to the noble Marquess some 12 months ago during an almost similar episode. If I failed in what I promised the noble Marquess, I will certainly endeavour to see that it does not happen again next year. I do not wish to develop the circumstances of this proposal this afternoon. If I am pressed, I shall be able to do so when I move the suspension of the Standing Orders; but I think the Leaders of the Parties are aware of the circumstances. It does not really arise from the general problem of legislation and in which House legislation starts. I have the greatest sympathy with noble Lords who wish to see more Bills started in your Lordships' House. I have done my best in the matter; I have not succeeded. I doubt whether I have done a great deal better than the noble Earl, Lord St. Aldwyn, when he held my post. But I will certainly see what can be done in the next Session.
§ LORD BYERSMy Lords, may I put it to the noble Lord that we in this House are not looking for the easy life? We are searching for greater efficiency.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, that is something I like to see.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, may I raise two other matters of business? The first is on the Committee stage of the Leasehold Reform Bill, which we start on Monday. In view of the fact that there are only some 30-odd Amendments down, would he agree that the House should adjourn at, say, 8 o'clock on Monday, for the first day, and if we need extra time sit late on the latter days?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the noble Earl is drawing his information from what we all regard as provisional matter. It is not in our Notices and Orders. To a certain extent, as the noble Earl knows, this is a degree of crystal gazing, because one does not know until the very last moment how many Amendments we shall be confronted with. I 766 must say that I had been warned that I needed to provide three long, full days for Leasehold Reform. If there are only 30 Amendments, then I am very happy; it is part of my easy life. If those are all the Amendments that are to be put down for the Committee stage, I see no reason why we should not rise at 8 o'clock and complete the Committee stage on Tuesday, which is well ahead of what I had hoped for.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I think perhaps the noble Lord is letting his optimism run away with him. I doubt whether we could complete it in two days even if we had only the 30-odd Amendments to which I have referred. I think he will find that he will need the three days. The other point which I wish to raise with the noble Lord relates to the Countryside (Scotland) Bill, which has been extensively amended in another place on Report. I understand that it will not be available to your Lordships until to-morrow, which means that those most closely connected with the Bill who live in Scotland are unlikely to receive it before Monday. Yet they are asked to consider the Second Reading of this Bill on Wednesday, which really does not give them very much time.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, as the noble Earl knows, I have been trying to phase our business, and one of the difficulties with our Scottish friends, because of the distance they have to travel, is that they do not appear to like taking business on Mondays or Thursdays. Therefore, to that extent I am limited to Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I had hoped that, with the agreement of our Scottish Members, Wednesday would be suitable, but if the noble Earl has had representations I shall certainly see what we can do in the circumstances.
In regard to the Leasehold Reform Bill, I thought the noble Earl was of the opinion that we could get up at 8 o'clock on Monday because of the relatively few Amendments, and that we should be able to complete the Committee stage on Tuesday. If the noble Earl wishes to sit on Wednesday, I presume that he would wish to take the Leasehold Reform Bill and not the Scottish Bill which is down for Second Reading on that day. As the noble Earl knows, there will be only one consequence if I meet him in that respect, that is, I shall receive a great deal of 767 criticism from other noble Lords that I am putting in more business on other days which are already fairly overloaded. I am quite happy to discuss this with the noble Earl, but I hope he will understand that if I take something away from one day for the convenience of some noble Lords, I only add to the inconvenience of others by putting in other business on that day.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, I appreciate that the noble Lord has a very difficult task, but perhaps we could pursue this through the usual channels.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether the easy flow of the usual channels across the floor of this House indicates a clogging up of the usual channels outside?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I could not answer that question without notice.