HC Deb 18 February 1881 vol 258 cc1236-8
SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE

Sir, I desire, with your permission, to put a Question to you which will require a very few words of explanation. In the event of the Prime Minister making on Monday, or any other day, a Motion similar to that of which he yesterday gave Notice that he would move to-day under the new Rules, it will be necessary for the House to vote at once on that Motion without any opportunity for debate or even asking questions. Under those circumstances, many hon. Gentlemen, who are well disposed in substance to the proposal, would feel themselves embarrassed on particular points; and I am desirous, on behalf of a number of Friends of my own, to mention two points on which they feel particular difficulty, and to ask you a Question— Whether it would bo in your power, either by any new Rule, or by any explanation of the Rules which already exist, to remove the difficulty they feel? The first of these points is this. We understand from the Rules that, in the event of our adopting the Motion that it is intended to propose, it would be impossible for the House, after the hour of 12, not only to discuss, but even to vote upon any Amendments that had not before that been reached, even though such an Amendment might have been long on the Paper, might be in itself of importance, and might involve matters that had not been touched by any previous Amendment. Then the second of the difficulties is this—that, according to these Rules, as soon as the Motion has been adopted by the Committee, it will not be competent for more than one hon. Member on each side to address the Committee on any particular Amendment. That will cause a peculiar difficulty with many hon: Gentlemen who sit on this side of the House, because they have studiously abstained from putting down any Amendments themselves; and, therefore, the discussion which would be allowed would be a discussion from which they would be excluded. If it were an Amendment proposed by any hon. Member who sits in another part of the House he would first state his case, and the Minister would state what he had to say in reply. But the Members who have not the same advantage would be unable to express any opinion, even though they might be desirous to support the Government. Whatever course they might be desirous to take, they would be precluded from expressing an opinion. These are felt, Sir, to be two great difficulties which might greatly embarrass hon. Gentlemen in the vote they might be called upon to give in the event of that Motion being made, and I wish respectfully to ask you—-to appeal to you, if I may so speak—to consider the position, and to consider whether it will be possible to relieve us of these difficulties, wholly or partially, by an amendment or explanation of the Rules. I do not wish, Sir, to press you inconveniently to give an answer at the present moment; but I hope that you will consider the matter before we are called upon to vote upon the Prime Minister's Motion.

MR. W. HOLMS

I wish also, Sir, to put to you the following Questions: — 1, Whether the additional Rules framed for the regulation of the Business of the House while the state of Public Business is urgent are applicable during this Session only? 2, Whether, as regards Rule 1, the Motion may be made by a private Member of this House, or must be made by a responsible Minister of the Crown?

MR. SPEAKER

With respect to the Question put to me by the right hon. Gentleman, I have to say that the points which he has brought under my notice have not escaped my attention, and the House will readily believe that I have for many days given my most anxious attention to the framing of these Rules. I believe I shall best consult the wishes of the House if I defer till the next Sitting of the House my answer to the Question which the right hon. Gentleman puts; and I would ask leave of the hon. Member for Paisley to postpone my answer to his Questions also.