§ MR. RAIKESasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether he will undertake to afford facilities for the proposal and discussion by private Members of Resolutions for the regulation of Procedure in Standing Committees; and, whether Her Majesty's Government will now reconsider their intention to refer to those bodies important Bills without any direction as to the order of business in dealing with them?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONIt has already been pointed out by you, 595 Sir, that the Standing Order relating to Standing Committees provides that the procedure in such Committees shall be the same as in Select Committees unless the House shall otherwise order. I have no reason to suppose at present that any important modification in that particular will be required in the case of Standing Committees; but I may point out that Standing Order 220 C. provides that on the appointment and nomination by the Committee of Selection of the Chairman's panel, that panel shall appoint from among themselves the Chairman of each Standing Committee. It is very evident that when that Committee shall have been nominated, the appointment of the Chairmen of the Standing Committees will be an important appointment; but until the Committee of Selection have been nominated it is not desirable, even if it were in the power of the Government, to give facilities for the proposal and discussion by private Members of Resolutions for the regulation of procedure in Standing Committees.
§ MR. RAIKESI beg to give Notice, in consequence of the answer of the noble Marquess, that in the event of no such course being taken, on the first occasion when it is proposed to refer a Bill to a Standing Committee I will move—
That, in the absence of any definite regulation for the procedure of such Committee, it is inexpedient to transfer to such bodies the jurisdiction over Public Bills hitherto exercised by this House.