There was substance in Sir Stafford Cripps' complaint on Tuesday,
in the shipping debate in the House of Commons, that owing to the Government's refusal to grant a special day for the discussion of their important proposals, the Opposition had been forced to raise the issue themselves on one of their supply days. This put them at the disadvantage of having to examine a policy without first having heard a full statement of it from the Minister responsible. The Government plea of " congestion of business" as the excuse emphasizes once again how badly arranged is the time of Parliament. Here is a Government with a majority of four hundred and fifty, and in a singularly advantageous position for arranging its own time-table, forced to take business of first-class importance after eleven o'clock, and to refuse a full-dress debate. If there is congestion now, how much greater would it be in a normal Parliament where the parties were more evenly divided ? It is clear that if Parliament is to be equal to its modern responsi- bilities, either it must be in session longer or the process of. legislation must be improved and simplified.
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