HC Deb 08 February 1838 vol 40 cc916-8
Mr. Hume

proposed a motion to the effect that every motion in a Committee of the whole House in which a division takes place, be recorded and reported in the votes of the day, and the number and names of the Members voting be recorded, in the same manner as in the divisions in the House. The motion had already been agreed to by the House, but had not been acted upon in the way he expected. The names were already printed in the appendix to the votes, as well as the words of the motion or amendment, but he thought that it would be more convenient to have the words of the motion or amendment, when a division took place, printed in the body of the votes. He was aware that what he proposed would, in some degree, increase the trouble, but he thought that the advantages that would result from it would afford an ample compensation.

Mr. Goulburn

did not intend to object to the motion, but did not clearly understand the object of the hon. Member. It appeared, that at present the list of names in a division in Committee was given. By giving all the amendments introduced into a bill in Committee, the votes would be swelled to a most voluminous extent. The amendments could not be given short so as to make them intelligible, for a division in Committee frequently took place on the motion to leave out a single word, which often involved the most important considerations.

Mr. Warburton

remarked, that his hon. Friend proposed that the amendments in Committee should only be inserted in the votes when a division took place.

Lord John Russell

said, that for the sake of uniformity it might be desirable to agree to the motion, but he thought that it would be better to leave the matter to the discretion of the Speaker.

The Speaker

stated, that he was most anxious to afford every facility regarding the printing of the votes which would meet the feeling of the House. The House, he was sure, was aware that the votes should be drawn up in such a manner as not to be too voluminous, so that they could be printed and delivered as soon as possible in the morning. Most hon. Members were anxious that the votes should be delivered at their several residences before they left their houses in the morning, and he hoped that the House would not hastily come to a decision which would swell the size of the votes in such a degree that it would often happen that they could not be printed until a late hour. If the hon. Member chose to leave the matter in his hands, he would endeavour to adopt some arrangements to meet his views. He would avail himself of the present opportunity of making a suggestion in another matter connected with the printing the votes. It often happened that when the House was engaged until a late hour in a debate of importance several orders were left to be postponed or disposed of at two or three o'clock in the morning. It would be a great advantage as regarded affording facilities for printing the votes, if those orders were disposed of at the early period of the evening.

Mr. Hume

would willingly leave the matter in the hands of the Speaker, and withdraw his motion.

Motion withdrawn.