HC Deb 20 February 1883 vol 276 cc412-4
MR. RAIKES

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he can state what steps Her Majesty's Government will recommend this House to take in order to give effect to the Standing Order of last Session relating to the institution of Grand Committees?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I am glad to say that the Standing Orders of last Session did not throw upon the Government the duty and responsibility of giving effect to the provisions relating to the institution of Grand Committees. All that the Government can do in the matter appears to be to endeavour to obtain the sanction of the House, as early as possible, to the second reading of the Bills of the class which the Standing Orders of last Session provide shall be referred to the Grand Committees. The right hon. Gentleman opposite the Member for the University of Oxford (Sir John R. Mowbray) has given Notice to-day that on Thursday he will move the appointment of the Committee of Selection. I need not remind the House that that is a duty which has always been discharged by an independent Member, and has never been undertaken or interfered with in any way by the Government. I think, under present circumstances, it is still desirable that it should remain altogether outside the influence of the Government. I may, perhaps, add to this statement, that I was quite ready to answer the Question of the right hon. Gentleman yesterday, but for a misap- prehension as to the form of the inquiry. I was aware that the right hon. Gentleman the Member for the University of Oxford had given Notice that to-day he would move for the appointment of the Committee of Selection; but not observing it on the Notice Paper, and seeing that it had apparently disappeared from among the Notices, I thought that some change had taken place in his intention with regard to the matter. But I subsequently found that it is not usual for Motions relating to Private Business to appear daily in the Votes, and I thought it would be more convenient that the House should have full Notice of the time at which the right hon. Gentleman intended to make the Motion. I now understand that the right hon. Gentleman intends to make it at the time of Private Business on Thursday next.

MR. RAIKES

Are the Government really not prepared to frame any Regulations for the procedure of these Standing or Grand Committees, and to lay such Regulations before the House?

MR. ARTHUR O'CONNOR

Are the Government prepared to accede to the suggestion that there should be an increase in the number of Members of the Committee of Selection?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

I am not under the impression that the Government ever undertook the responsibility of framing Rules of Procedure for the Standing Committees. I believe it has been always understood that that will be the duty of the Standing Committees themselves. With regard to the Question of the hon. Member for Queen's County (Mr. Arthur O'Connor), I think it would be premature to anticipate the judgment of the House, because, as I have already stated, it is the desire of the Government to leave the matter entirely in the hands of the House, and to interfere as little as possible in it.

MR. RAIKES

I beg leave to put a Question to the Speaker on the subject. I wish to know whether, Sir, you can advise the House whether it would be competent for the Standing Committees to frame Regulations for their own procedure, seeing that they might in some respects conflict with each other, and might also be contrary to the general practice of the House?

MR. SPEAKER

If the right hon. Gentleman will refer to the Standing Order No. 223, he will see it is there stated that— The procedure in such Committees"—that is, Standing Committees—"shall be the same as in Select Committees, unless the House shall otherwise order.

MR. RAIKES

That being so, I again venture to appeal to the noble Lord, and to ask him if he thinks it is desirable to leave it to a private Member of the House to obtain from the House sanction for any Regulations for the procedure of these Grand Committees, or whether the Government ought not to take the responsibility of recommending such Regulations to the House?

THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTON

The fact is that I did not apprehend precisely the point which the right hon. Gentleman desired to address to me, and I think he had better give me Notice of any further Question.