– in the House of Commons at on 22 May 1941.
Mr Hastings Lees-Smith
, Keighley
May I ask the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the forthcoming Business of the House?
Mr Clement Attlee
, Stepney Limehouse
The Business will be as follows:
On the first Sitting Day—Report and Third Reading of the Liabilities (War-Time Adjustment) Bill [Lords] and the Second Readings of the Landlord and Tenant (War Damage) (Amendment) Bill and the Temporary Migration of Children (Guardianship) Bill [Lords]
On the second Sitting Day—Motion to approve the Central (Coal Mines) Scheme (Amendment) Order and the. Committee and remaining stages of the Temporary Migration of Children (Guardianship) Bill [Lords]
On the third Sitting Day—Motion for the Whitsuntide Adjournment.
If there is time, on any day, the Second Reading of the Rating (War Damage) (Scotland) Bill will be taken.
Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha
, Plymouth, Devonport
If my right hon. Friend is in a position to make a statement on developments in the Mediterranean and if the situation justifies it, will he consider making such a statement before the Adjournment of the House to-day?
Mr Clement Attlee
, Stepney Limehouse
I will bring that request to the notice of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I think the House will agree that my right hon. Friend is always desirous to give the House the fullest information that can be given, compatible with the requirements of the military situation.
Viscount Turnour
, Horsham and Worthing
My right hon. Friend will appreciate that no discourtesy is intended if I ask him whether it would not save the time of the Prime Minister, who is, we know, very pressed, if he himself could make a statement, however short, on the Adjournment to-day—if the circumstances justify it—in view of the very important events which are in progress in the Mediterranean.
Mr Herbert Williams
, Croydon South
Can my right hon. Friend indicate when the Committee stage of the Finance Bill is likely to be commenced?
Mr Clement Attlee
, Stepney Limehouse
I think, soon after the Whitsuntide Adjournment.
Mr Edgar Granville
, Eye
May I ask whether an opportunity will be given in the near future for a discussion on the Ministry of Information? Further, as there is no official Opposition, or party politics, will my right hon. Friend consult the general sense of the House as well as the usual channels, which are slightly rusty at the present moment?
Mr Clement Attlee
, Stepney Limehouse
We always endeavour to find out what is the general sense of the House.
The Second Reading is the most important stage for a Bill. It is when the main purpose of a Bill is discussed and voted on. If the Bill passes it moves on to the Committee Stage. Further information can be obtained from factsheet L1 on the UK Parliament website.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
An adjournment is a break in the course of parliamentary business.
The House adjourns at the end of each day's business.
On a daily basis the House adjourns, or breaks, half an hour after the moving of the adjournment debate.
The House is also adjourned for several holiday periods during the session.
The more lengthy adjournments - often coinciding with the academic calendar - are known as recesses.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
