Vol. 319 No. 4
I move:
That a sum not exceeding £7,505,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on 31st day of December, 1980, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Energy, including certain services administered by that Office, and for payment of certain loans, subsidies, grants and grants-in-aid.
I understood that there would be no speech and that it was agreed that the Estimate would be taken without debate. Would the Minister now assure the House openly that time will be given immediately after the Recess for a debate on this Department?
It has been agreed between the Whips that this Estimate would be taken today without debate on the understanding that later, at a date to be agreed between the Whips, a token Estimate would be moved to enable the debate to take place.
That is not exactly how I understood the agreement. I understood it to be, subject to what Deputy L'Estrange may say, that we would have a debate whenever we liked on that matter provided that the Estimate was now taken without debate.
My understanding is that the debate can take place at a date agreed between the Whips. It will be a situation I hope in which it would be clearly understood that we are entitled to ask for a debate and to ask for one quickly. From my point of view there is no problem.
