Mr Stanley Baldwin: I cannot recognise that anything in this world is inevitable, but in answer to the question, my right hon. Friend said that exploratory discussions were still proceeding. Exploration implies digging, and the ground has to be well cleared.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: To-morrow will be the 5th allotted day in Committee of Supply, and the Vote of the Department for Mines will be put down. I understand that the Harworth colliery dispute is the subject to be debated.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: The right hon. Gentleman has just put to me that question, of which I was not aware. I think we must wait to see how the Debate proceeds.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I quite realise that, and I shall see that Cabinet Ministers are present during the Debate.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: We are proposing to suspend the Eleven o'Clock Rule in order to conclude the Report stage and Third Reading of the Livestock Industry Bill. We made fair progress with the Bill yesterday, and I hope that the consideration of the remainder of the Report stage will not be unduly protracted. Afterwards, we should like to get the Third Reading, because we particularly desire to conclude all the...
Mr Stanley Baldwin: We will wait and see. I still hope that we may get the Third Reading to-night.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I cannot: give any pledge at this moment, but it certainly is not my intention to ask the House to sit unduly late.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I must ask for notice of a question like that. I do not read speeches.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: Perhaps the right hon. Gentleman will be good enough to consult through the usual channels on that matter. As I said the other day, I hope very much it will not be necessary.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: We hope to make good progress to-day with the Livestock Industry Bill. We are very anxious, if possible, to conclude the Third Reading stage to-morrow. We must wait and see how we get on.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I do not think so.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: The right hon. Member may be aware, from reports in the Press, that representatives of the different parties concerned in this dispute, namely, the Nottinghamshire Colliery Owners, the Mineworkers' Federation of Great Britain and the Nottinghamshire Miners' Industrial Union, are respectively meeting the Secretary for Mines at the Mines Department to-day. I need hardly repeat that, as stated...
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I shall certainly bear that in mind, but I very much hope that it will not be necessary.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: No, Sir. The Tribunal decided that the proceedings should not be public.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: We are suspending the Eleven o'Clock Rule in the hope that we may be able to complete the Committee stage of the Ministers of the Crown Bill. We do not propose to ask the House to sit late. The Bill has taken rather longer than, we expected. The business for next week will be: Monday and Tuesday: —Livestock Industry Bill, Report and Third Reading. Wednesday:—The business will be...
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I have had no notice of that question, and certainly I am not in a position to-day to make any reply.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: I am not yet in a position to make any statement on this subject.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: Yes, Sir; we have an alteration of the business. The Committee stage of the Ministers of the Crown Bill will be taken to-morrow instead of on Thursday, and the Report stage of the Livestock Industry Bill on Thursday instead of tomorrow, as previously announced. The Government propose that the House should adjourn for the Coronation and the Whitsun Recess on Thursday, 6th May, and meet again...
Mr Stanley Baldwin: Yes, Sir. The tribunal has given an award to the effect that 15 is the appropriate number of years' purchase to be applied to the agreed royalty income figure of £4,430,000. The compensation payable under the terms of the award will therefore be £66,450,000. The Government have decided to accept the award, and they intend to introduce the necessary legislation as soon as possible.
Mr Stanley Baldwin: Yes, Sir. His Majesty's Government have seen Herr Hitler's statement. The position of His Majesty's Government on this matter has been made clear from time to time, and I may, perhaps, repeat it. They would, of course, be willing to participate in a world conference provided that thorough and comprehensive investigation showed that such a confer- ence would be likely to succeed and provided...
