HC Deb 13 February 1843 vol 66 c420
The Chancellor of the Exchequer

having moved the Order of the Day, that the House should resolve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to consider the report of the Committee on the forged Exchequer bills,

Mr. Greene

said, before the Speaker left the Chair, he hoped the House would allow him to offer some explanation relative to the practice he had adopted in committees last Session, and that which he intended in future to follow. It had been generally understood that, after the question upon any motion had been put, it was not competent to the Chairman to repeat that question, and that no party could vote upon a question unless he had heard the question so put. He had acted upon that understanding upon two occasions during the last Session; but he found that the propriety of the course he had taken had been called into question. He wished, at present, to give notice that, unless he were otherwise directed, it was his intention, after he had put the question in the first instance, to put it again as soon as the gallery was cleared, and to allow Members who might then be present to take part in the division.

The House then resolved itself into committee.