MR. JOHN WILSON (Durham)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, upon consideration, he is willing to grant a Committee to inquire into the charges made against Mr. J. Havelock Wilson, the hon. Member for Middlesbrough?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYIf I am rightly informed the charges have been and may again be the subject of investigation. I do not think that any Committee of this House would be a proper substitute for the ordinary tribunals; nor do I think it would be expedient to initiate a system by which Members who may be dissatisfied with the ordinary tribunals should be allowed to use a Committee of this House to investigate matters that are quite foreign to its functions.
MR. JOHN WILSON (Durham)May I ask if the Rules of the House forbid the formation of such a Committee?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYI am not aware of any Standing Order which forbids it; but I should imagine it would be wholly unprecedented, and so far contrary to the practice of the House. More than that I could not say without investigation.