Page:MALAYSIA BILL ADJOURNMENT (SUMMER) (Hansard, 30 Juli 1963).djvu/1

 ADJOURNMENT (SUMMER)

HC Deb 30 July 1963 vol 682 cc243-64

3.48 p.m.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. Iain Macleod) I beg to move, "That this House, at its rising on Friday, do adjourn till Thursday, 24th October, at eleven o'clock." In moving this Motion, perhaps it would be convenient, to remove any possible doubt about the time of meeting on 24th October, to move it in a slightly amended form from that which appears on the Order Paper.

Mr. Speaker Yes, I think that that is permissible and probably for the general convenience.

3.49 p.m.

Mr. Marcus Lipton (Brixton) I wish to oppose this Motion for the following reason. We have been given no information by the Government as to when the committee under Sir Milner Holland, which is to investigate pressures on tenants in the London area, is to be constituted. The problem is one of grave urgency for many London tenants. In my constituency, for example, the slum empire of mystery landlord Brady—which flits from one address to another—has come to life again under the guise of Various Tenancies Ltd., now at 113, Clapham Road, S.W.4. I have described this company as "the same group of shady people who operated this racket years ago".—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 28th October, 1959; Vol. 612, c. 246.]" The Brady outfit is in operation again with all the old tricks and with renewed vigour. This company will be reaping a rich harvest during the Long Recess while Parliament is not sitting and while the Government are inactive and the Milner Holland Committee has not begun to function. I am not willing that we should go into recess while this kind of intimidation and blackmail is going on. I want a concrete assurance from the Government that effective action is to be taken without delay to protect the victims of the Brady racket in my constituency and elsewhere.

3.50 p.m.

Mr. Denis Healey (Leeds, East) Many of us were rather disturbed by the failure of the Minister of Defence, a few moments ago, to answer a very direct 244 question put to him by the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden) about the future of the TSR2. Many of us will recall that last year the Government waited until the House was in recess before announcing the cancellation of the Blue Water project.

Could the Leader of the House give us an assurance, since the Minister of Defence is to speak in the debate tomorrow, if he catches your eye, Mr. Speaker, that the House will not rise until the Minister of Defence has made a statement on the future of the TSR2?

3.51 p.m.

Mr. Stephen Swingler (Newcastle-under-Lyme) I support the request of my hon. Friend the Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton). I am certainly opposed to the House adjourning until we have had at least two definite replies to important questions which have been raised. After all, this may be the last opportunity.

It is possible that this Motion is the death knell of this Parliament. We do not know what is to happen. In view of the timing of the Stratford-on-Avon by-election and the Prime Minister's answers about the Denning report, further circulation will be given this afternoon to the suspicion that there will be an autumn election. Therefore, this is our last