HC Deb 12 April 1886 vol 304 cc1315-6
MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)

I wish, Sir, to ask your ruling in reference to the taking of seats in this House. I wish to know whether it is possible for a Member who has been down to the House early and deposited his hat upon a seat, to leave the precincts of the House for a short time, in order to cross the road to get luncheon, without finding, on his return to the House, that the hat which he had deposited had been taken away and his seat appropriated by some other hon. Member?

MR. T. M. HEALY (Londonderry, S.)

Before you reply to the hon. Member I should like to ask, Sir, whether it is not the fact that whether a Member leaves the precincts of the House for a long or short time, or for luncheon or anything else, by doing so he forfeits any seat he may have previously taken? If that were not so, an hon. Member would be able to come down here at 9 o'clock in the morning, and, having deposited his hat, might go away, and not come back again until the Sitting of the House.

MR. SPEAKER

It would be very difficult for me to lay down the Rule more explicitly than I have done. The matter is one which is regulated by the mutual courtesy of hon. Members; but I may say again that I do not consider, if a Member merely places his hat on a seat and then leaves the House entirely, that he is entitled to that seat. But if after having placed his hat upon a seat he leaves the House for the purpose of attending a Committee upstairs, I should not consider that that was leaving the precincts of the House. I do not know that I can state the Rule in a more explicit form.

MR. MITCHELL HENRY (Glasgow, Blackfriars)

asked the Prime Minister whether he could now answer his Question with regard to the appointment of a Committee to consider the question of the enlargement of the House?

THE FIRST LORD (Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE) (Edinburgh, Mid Lothian)

It is true I did promise to give an answer today; but I am by no means certain whether the House would feel itself in a condition to determine at this moment, after the considerable number of Committees already appointed, to deal with this question. But I may say that we have no objection in principle to a Committee on the subject.