HL Deb 04 February 1971 vol 314 cc1359-60
EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, at a convenient moment after half past three—and I should perhaps warn your Lordships that it may be considerably after half past three—my noble friend Lord Carrington will be making a Statement on the Rolls-Royce Company. This will be followed by a Statement, to be made by my noble friend Lord Lothian, on the meeting of the E.E.C. Ministers held last Tuesday.

Many of your Lordships will have already discovered that arrangements have been made for placing incoming mail under alphabetical letter signs in the Moses Room. This is because a large number of letters which are delivered to this House cannot at the moment be redirected. It has been necessary to find adequate space to display these letters, which will accumulate until it is possible to forward them. A notice is displayed in the Prince's Chamber setting out the details, and I would urge your Lordships to collect your mail as frequently as possible.

Perhaps I should also inform your Lordships that dinner will be available tonight between 7 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.

LORD BURNTWOOD

My Lords, may I ask the noble Earl whether those mail arrangements can be continued on days when the House is not sitting? Many of us try to work on such non-sitting days and find it very difficult to collect our mail.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, when the House is sitting the Moses Room will be open from 10 o'clock in the morning until the time that the Houses rises, and on non-sitting days from 10 o'clock in the morning until 5 o'clock in the evening.

LORD LEATHERLAND

My Lords, can the noble Earl the Chief Whip tell us whether any conversations are going on through the usual channels with a view to having a Sitting on Monday to which we can refer all the business on to-day's Order Paper with the exception of the two Statements and the Committee stage of the Drugs Bill? If we do not do that, we shall be here very late indeed.

EARL ST. ALDWYN

My Lords, through the usual channels we shall watch the progress of business this afternoon, and if it is obviously in the interests of the House that certain business should be postponed, no doubt that will be arranged.

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, on the matter of business, in view of the reply that the noble Earl has just given may I ask him whether a Statement can be made at a fairly early hour, because, as the noble Earl is aware, there is a postal strike and noble Lords will wish to know whether they should attend the House on Monday. I hope that the noble Earl will not leave it too late.