Sitting of 12 August 1920

Preamble
The House met at a quarter past four of the clock, The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
THE MARQUESS OF SALISBURY: My Lords, I think that probably it would be for the convenience of your Lordships if I asked my noble friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he proposes that there should be a meeting of your Lordships' House on Monday, and, if so, whether he is able to anticipate any other meeting of your Lordships' House before the recess.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER (THE EARL OF CRAWFORD): My Lords, in the first place my noble friend the Leader of the House is not in a position to make any statement about foreign affairs; otherwise, he would have been here to do so. The House will be aware that the Lords Amendments to the Mining Industry Bill were not dealt with in the House of Commons yesterday, and I understand they will be taken on an early Order on Monday next. I accordingly suggest that your Lordships should meet on Monday at a quarter past four o'clock. If, as I hope, the Amendments made by this House do not prove controversial we might expect the Bill to come back to us pretty quickly, and I suggest that, provisionally at any rate, the Royal Commission should be held at five o'clock, or soon after, on Monday. As regards sittings after Monday it is clearly impossible for me at the present moment to make any announcement. I can only express the hope, which I am sure will be shared by your Lordships on general as well as personal grounds, that there will be no cause for either House to sit after Monday next. Beyond that I am afraid I must leave the matter somewhat vague.

CONSOLIDATED FUND (APPROPRIATION) BILL.
Brought from the Commons, read la: Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Bill read 2a: Committee negatived: Bill read 3a and passed.
JURORS (ENROLMENT OF WOMEN) (SCOTLAND) BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to.
MINISTRY OF FOOD (CONTINUANCE) BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendment agreed to.
INDEMNITY BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendments agreed to.
BLIND PERSONS BILL.
Returned from the Commons, with the Amendments agreed to.

SEEDS BILL. [H.L.]
Returned from the Commons, agreed to, with Amendments.
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (LORD LEE OF FAREHAM): My Lords, I beg to move that your Lordships now consider the Amendments passed in another place to the Seeds Bill. They are of a very simple character, to which neither the Government nor, I hope, your Lordships will take exception. I understand that there has not been time to print and circulate the Commons Amendments, but, with your Lordships' leave, I will state what they are.
The first Amendment is in Clause 4, page 4, line 11, omitting subsection (7). This was a subsection which provided that the Ministry should have the power of issuing what would be, in effect, a Black List of individuals who have offended against Seeds Orders. It is now considered desirable that we should rely upon prosecutions rather than publication of facts where the proposed Regulations may have been broken. The Amendment was accepted by the Government in another place to leave out this particular subsection, and I ask your Lordships to agree with that action.
The second Amendment was to leave out "August, 1920," the date on which the Bill was intended to come into operation, and substitute therefor "August, 1921." This Amendment was also moved by the Government in another place in order to defer the operation of the Bill until
1234
August 1, 1921, because if the Bill were to become law and its operation to commence on August 1 of this year, as originally proposed, the necessary Regulations could not be published in time for the 1920-21 season. Further, the Ministry at this late date would have no time in which to make the proper inspection of the testing establishments applying for licences. The net effect is to postpone the coming into operation of the Bill for a year.
The third Amendment is a new clause, to be Clause 13, which was moved by the Government in another place consequent on the passing by that House of the Financial Resolution. It is in these words—
"Any expenses incurred by the Minister, the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, or the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland in carrying this Act into execution shall, up to an amount approved by the Treasury, be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament."
I move that the Commons Amendments be now considered.
Moved, That the Commons Amendments be now considered.—(Lord Lee of Fareham.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
LORD LEE OF FAREHAM: I now move that they be agreed to.
Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(Lord Lee of Fareham.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.

READY MONEY FOOTBALL BETTING BILL.
Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.
Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Motion agreed to.
House in Committee accordingly.
[The EARL OF DONOUGHMORE in the Chair.]
Clause 1:
Penalties.
1. Any person who in the United Kingdom writes, prints, publishes, or knowingly circulates any advertisement, circular, or coupon of any ready money football betting business, whether such business is carried on in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, or who causes or procures, or attempts to cause or procure, any of those things to be done, or assists therein, shall be liable,

1235
summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds or, in default of payment, imprisonment for not exceeding one month or, in case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or imprisonment for not exceeding three months.
THE EARL OF ONSLOWhad on the Paper two Amendments to insert the word "knowingly" before "causes or procures" and before "assists therein." The noble Earl said: It will be within the recollection of your Lordships that in the debate on the Second Reading last night the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack drew attention to the necessity for further examination of Clause 1, and in consequence of this I beg to move the two Amendments which stand in my name—to insert the word "knowingly" so as to
1236
govern the words "causes or procures" and "attempts to cause or procure."
Amendments moved—
Clause 1, page 1, line 9, after ("who") insert ("knowingly")
Clause 1, line 10, after ("or") insert ("knowingly").—(The Earl of Onslow.)
On Question, Amendments agreed to.
Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.
Remaining clauses agreed to.
Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Amendments reported: Bill read 3a, and passed, and returned to the Commons.
House adjourned at half-past four o'clock until Monday. a quarter past four o'clock.