HC Deb 13 March 1883 vol 277 cc375-6
MR. DICK-PEDDLE

I wish, Sir, to put a Question to you upon a point of Order, in reference to the ballot for Notices of Motion, on Tuesdays and Fridays. I find it is the common practice for hon. Members, in order to secure a place for a particular Motion, to secure the co-operation of several other hon. Members. All of them place Notices on the Paper, and it is understood that if any one of them should be drawn, the particular Notice agreed upon should be given to him. I wish to know, Sir, from you, whether the adoption of this practice, by greatly diminishing the chances of other hon. Members acting separately, is not inconsistent with the Rules of the ballot for precedence in regard to Notices of Motion?

LORD RANDOLPH CHUECHILL

I would also ask, if it is in Order for an hon. Member to put to you a Question which involves a charge of male fides against other hon. Members?

MR. SPEAKER

A Question of a similar character to that of the hon. Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. Dick-Peddie) was put to the Chair twice in the Session of 1876; and I will state what then fell from the Chair upon the matter. The Speaker stated that the point was one which had been brought under his notice at an early period of the Session, and that he had then stated his opinion upon it. It appeared to him then—as it appears to him now—that if two or more Members, holding the same opinion upon the same specific Motion, combine together to ballot for precedence, with the view of giving undue precedence to that Motion, such a practice was an evasion of the Rules of the House.

MR. HOPWOOD

Supposing that individual Members, without combining—each one having the intention and the determination to bring forward a Motion on a particular matter, to which he attaches great importance, accidentally or otherwise, all ballot for precedence for that Motion, would such an accident invalidate the chance of the hon. Member whose name happened to be called?

MR. SPEAKER

In answer to the Question which has been put to me by the hon. and learned Member for Stockport (Mr. Hopwood), I have to say that it appears to me that if a number of hon. Members interested in bringing forward a particular question take the course indicated by the hon. and learned Member, I fail to see how the ballot could be worked.