§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUwished to call attention to a point of Order. It seemed to him there was a mistake in the Votes sent round that morning. At No. 45 the Resolution was recorded, "That this House will immediately resolve itself into the Committee of Supply." This Resolution, however, did not preclude a long debate before going into Committee. It was moved, "That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair," but an Amendment to this was agreed to; and thereafter it was again moved and resolved—as given at No. 47 in the Votes—"That this House will immediately resolve itself into the Committee of Supply." If it was against the practice of the House—as he contended it was—that the same Motion should be put twice, it was desirable that the Votes should be altered in ease this occurrence might be drawn into a precedent. The effect of allowing the Motion in question to be put over and over again would be to take from the House the Constitutional power of stopping Supply.
§ MR. SPEAKERIt is right I should state to the House that when a Motion is made that this House do immediately resolve itself into Committee of Supply the object of that Motion is to "set up" Committee of Supply, and for no other purpose. That Motion is followed in ordinary course, after Committee of Supply is "set up," by a Motion that I now leave the Chair. That course was taken last night, and the proceeding is entirely in accordance with the Rules of the House. I therefore see no ground for the alteration of the Votes, as proposed by the noble Lord. It appears to me the noble Lord scarcely attaches sufficient weight to the consideration that there are two Motions before the House. One is that Committee of Supply should be "set up," which is done by the first Motion "that this House do immediately resolve itself into Committee of Supply," and when that Motion has been carried it is followed by a second Motion "that I now leave the Chair." And there is no reason why, on the same night, the Motion that this House do resolve itself into Committee of Supply should not be made as often as the House thinks fit, thereby affording additional facilities for the discussion of grievances.