It is proposed to take No. 1 today. My understanding is that there are a number of Senators who still wish to contribute on this particular matter but that there is no desire to extend the debate into a third day. I have no wish to curtail speeches in any way but I would like to express the hope that it might be possible for the Minister to start his concluding speech at 4.30 p.m. and for the question to be put at 5 p.m. However, I do not wish to curtail the debate in any way and I have no intention of moving formally for an allocation of time.
Order of Business.
It is possible that the debate may break down before that but we will concur with what the Leader of the House has said. On the Order of Business, could the Leader give us any indication of what business will be ordered for the week after next?
I take it then there is general agreement that every effort should be made for contributions from Senators to be concluded by 4.30 p.m. I think as we are discussing the single question all day, we should take a break from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
On the question of future business, it is intended to meet on 5 February in order to take the Second Stage of the National Development Corporation Bill which is No. 2 on today's Order Paper. It is proposed that the House should meet again on 6 February and we would then take No. 3 on the Order Paper which is a formal matter of terms of reference for the Committee on Co-operation with Developing Countries and then it is proposed to take Nos. 5 and 6 which I think could be debated together along the lines of what Senator Lanigan suggested earlier. They are both reports from the Joint Committee on Secondary Legislation of the EC in regard to statutory instruments. Even though No. 6 has come in much later than other reports, I think it should be debated with No. 5. If that does not occupy the whole of Thursday, 6 February, then we would proceed to debate No. 7 which is the Report of the Joint Committee on Building Land. In regard to Private Members' Business I intend to have discussions during today concerning the question of how we will handle the remaining half hour which is available for No. 4.
In regard to looking further to the future I was asked two questions yesterday on the Order of Business. First, in regard to the Bill for the abolition of the Land Commission, the text of that Bill has not yet come to Government for a final decision but will be brought to Government as soon as possible. In regard to the Radio Bill, I endeavoured to find out the latest situation but the Minister for Communications is out of the country on official business. I will discuss it with him as soon as he returns.
Order of Business agreed to.