HC Deb 13 March 1950 vol 472 cc875-6

Select Committee appointed to control the arrangements for the Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms in the department of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House;

To consist of Seventeen Members: Mr. Alexander Anderson, Miss Bacon, Mr. Boothby, Mr. Burke, Mr. Coldrick, Mr. Daines, Sir William Darling, Mr. Edward Evans, Mr. Walter Fletcher, Mrs. Hill, Mr. Greville Howard, Mr. Keeling, Sir Ronald Ross; Mr. Ernest Thurtle, Mr. Viant, Mr. Watkins and Major Mervyn Wheatley;

Power to send for persons, papers and records.—[Mr. R. J. Taylor.]

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That Three be the Quorum."—[Mr. R. J. Taylor.]

Sir Herbert Williams (Croydon, South)

Object.

Mr. Speaker

The Question is. "That Three be the Quorum."

Sir H. Williams

On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. I handed in an Amendment to this Motion today. I waited until you had read it all out before I said "Object" because I assumed that the Motion was to be taken as one.

Mr. Speaker

I am afraid I cannot accept that. I rather think I had taken the whole of the Motion as passed. If any Amendment was to be moved the hon. Gentleman should have moved it at the beginning. I would not have accepted it, but that is what he should have done.

Sir H. Williams

As it is after Ten o'Clock I cannot properly move an Amendment which is controversial. For that reason I did not move it. If I had realised that the Motion was being split into several parts—it reads as one—I should have objected at the beginning. I do object to three being the quorum.

Mr. Speaker

Very well. The objection to three being the quorum can be passed over until tomorrow. The rest of the Motion is passed.

It being after Ten o'Clock the Debate stood adjourned.

Debate to be resumed Tomorrow.