Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I should like as a matter of privilege to explain at once to the house that, in reviewing the Hansard report of the answer I gave on Friday to a question by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Drew) with regard to the shipments of arms or equipment from Canada, I found my words were not as precise as they should have been.

I said that "at the present time we are as much concerned about the situation in the Middle East as is any hon. member of the house, and that there will be no shipments pending the debate on the matter in the House of Commons." The whole discussion had arisen, in fact, out of the concern about the situation in the Middle East, and I intended my words about shipments to refer to that area which I had just mentioned, and I believe everyone understood that they did refer to that area.

However, when I saw the transcript, it seemed to me the words about shipments might be misunderstood and perhaps taken to mean there would be no shipments to any country, including our North Atlantic allies, and I therefore inserted after the word "shipments" the words "for that area", and I wanted to take this first opportunity to explain to the house that I had done so to remove any possibility of misinterpretation of the statement elsewhere or even here in parliament.

Hon. George A. Drew (Leader of ihe Opposition):

Mr. Speaker, I should think all hon. members of the house would welcome thp insertion of those words, because I do not think there was any thought in anyone's mind that the shipment of arms as part of our general NATO arrangements should in any way be interfered with. The concern that had been expressed related to shipment to an area where there has been a great deal of disturbance. May I say also that the concern has related particularly to the uncertainty of the ministers as to what the facts are.

Mr. Speaker:

Just for the sake of orderly procedure, may I be permitted to point out that a question of privilege is not debatable.

Mr. Maurice Bourgel (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Public Works):

Mr. Speaker, I beg leave to lay on the table two copies of the report of proceedings under the Trans-Canada Highway Act for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1955.

Mr. Speaker:

May I point out to the parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Public Works that, according to our new procedure, all he has to do with respect to these documents is to send them to the Clerk at the table.

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (for ihe Minister of Finance) moved

that the house go into committee at the next sitting to consider the following resolution, which has been recommended to the house by His Excellency:

That it is expedient to introduce a measure to amend the Industrial Development Bank Act to enlarge the classes of loans that may be made under the act; to raise the limit on the aggregate amount of loans exceeding two hundred thousand dollars from fifty million dollars to seventy-five million dollars; and to make certain changes in connection with the administration of the act.

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (for the Minister of Finance) moved

that the house go into committee at the next sitting to consider the following resolution, which has been recommended to the house by His Excellency:

That it is expedient to introduce a measure to amend the Public Service Superannuation Act to extend the application of the act, and to provide further for certain changes in consequence thereof and also in connection with the administration of the act.

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I understand that

under the new rules this motion must be made a government order.

Mr. Speaker:

Government order.