§
Motion made, and Question proposed,
That the Five Members of this House to he appointed to serve on the joint Committee of Lords and Commons on the Channel Tunnel he nominated by the Committee of Selection."— (Mr. Chamberlain.)
§ LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILLsaid, he should like the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Chamberlain) to give the House some explanation of the change which had taken place in his mind on this subject. The selection of Members to serve on Committees of this kind was usually made by the House, and he should like to know why it was now proposed that it should be made by the Committee of Selection? The policy of the Government throughout in regard to this Channel Tunnel question had been most curious.
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINsaid, he had not the slightest objection to gratify the curiosity of the noble Lord. He had proposed that the Committee should be selected by the House; but, on communication with the Representatives of the Opposition, he found that they were not prepared to nominate their proportion from the Conservative side of the House, and, of course, a selection to which the Opposition were not parties would be one-sided. The right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Stafford Northcote) had then suggested that it would be right to leave the nomination of the Committee to the Committee of Selection, and the Government, not considering the point a very important one, had deferred to the view of the right hon. Gentleman.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONIs it possible to move an Amendment to this Motion?
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is perfectly competent for the hon. Baronet to do so.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONThen I would move that no military man be put on the Committee, and I would give as my reason for that, that a Committee I of military authorities have already reported on the matter. We have the opinion of military men.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Baronet cannot move an Instruction to the Committee of Selection without Notice.
§ SIR WILFRID LAWSONShall I have another opportunity of moving this Instruction?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Baronet will be precluded from making the Motion if the House should see fit to pass the Resolution to-night.
§ Original Question put, and agreed to.
§ Ordered, That the Five Members of this House to be appointed to serve on the joint Committee of Lords and Commons on the Channel Tunnel be nominated by the Committee of Selection.