HC Deb 28 February 1888 vol 322 cc1721-2
THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH), (Strand, Westminster)

in rising to move the adoption of the next Rule, said, its object was to prevent a repetition of the discussion of the principle of a Bill on the Order that Mr. Speaker do leave the Chair. It had been found that the Motion that Mr. Speaker do leave the Chair was greatly abused, and there was a general agreement that a second reading debate should not occur twice over.

Motion made, and Question proposed, That whenever an Order of the Day is read for the House to resolve itself into Committee (not being a Committee to consider a Message from the Crown, or the Committee of Supply, or of Ways and Means), Mr. Speaker shall leave the Chair without putting any Question and the House shall thereupon resolve itself into such Committee, unless Notice of an Instruction thereto has been given, when such Instruction shall be first disposed of."—(Mr. W. H. Smith.)

MR. SHAW LEFEVRE (Bradford, Central)

asked if the Rule was to apply in the case of a Bill which had gone through Committee pro formâ and had been greatly changed by the Member in charge of it?

MR. BRYCE (Aberdeen, S.)

also asked whether the Rule would apply to a Bill sent down from a Select Committee? He apprehended that many changes might be effected in a Bill by a Select Committee, and he thought there should be some opportunity of discussing thorn, because the Bill might be sensibly different from what it had been when read a second time.

MR. W. H. SMITH

said, he thought that whatever changes were made in the Bill by a Select Committee, they would be consistent with the principle of the Bill. If any opportunity of discussion in such a case were desired, the third reading would afford it.

Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That whenever an Order of the Day is read for the House to resolve itself into Committee (not being a Committee to consider a Message from the Crown, or the Committee of Supply, or of Ways and Means), Mr. Speaker shall leave the Chair without putting any Question, and the House shall thereupon resolve itself into such Committee, unless Notice of an Instruction thereto has been given, when such Instruction shall be first disposed of.