HC Deb 11 February 1898 vol 53 cc457-9

Motion made and Question put— That the Committee do consist of seventeen Members" (Sir W. Walrond).

Put and agreed to.

Motion made and Question proposed— That Mr. James Bailey be a Member of the said Committee" (Sir. W. Walrond).

SIR W. LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)

I see the Attorney General is present. The right hon. Gentleman has given his opinion that the sale of intoxicating drink within the precincts of this House is contrary to the law. Now, I think the Government ought to let us know the position they take up——

MR. SPEAKER

I do not think the hon. Member's remarks are pertinent to the question before the House, which is, whether Mr. James Bailey be a member of the Committee.

DR. CLARK (Caithness)

I move the adjournment of the Debate. If we are going to do an illegal thing, or if we are going to appoint a Committee for the purpose of doing an illegal thing, I think we ought to have some answer from the Attorney General. One of the functions of this Committee——

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order. The Committee has been already appointed, and this question was raised at that time. We are now on the mere question of the Members to be appointed to serve on the Committee.

DR. CLARK

The hon. Member who intended to raise the question was not here. I beg to move the adjournment of the Debate; then perhaps we shall get some information.

Motion made and question proposed— That the Debate be now adjourned."—(Dr. Clark.)

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir RICHARD WEBSTER,) Isle of Wight

I have nothing to add to what was said by the noble Lord yesterday; that the matter will be taken before the Committee at the first meeting of the Committee, and the question decided then.

DR. CLARK

Upon that I ask leave to withdraw my Motion.

Motion by leave withdrawn.

Main question again proposed, and agreed to.

Motion made and question put— That Mr. Broadhurst, Mr. R. Cavendish, Mr. Cochrane, Mr. T. Curran, Mr. H. Davies, General Goldsworthy, Mr. Jacoby, Mr. Kearley, Mr. Lafone, Mr. Llewellyn, Colonel Lockwood, Mr. Macdona, Mr. Lloyd Morgan, Mr. P. J. Power, Mr. W. Redmond, and Lord Stanley be other Members of the said Committee" (Sir W. Walrond).

Put and agreed to.

SIR W. LAWSON

I should like to ask whether I should be in order in moving that the Committee have power to send for persons, papers, and records.

MR. SPEAKER

Strictly speaking, I think notice should be given, but I have no doubt the rule would be waived.

MR. G. LAMBERT (Devon, South Molton)

Should I be in order in moving that the hon. Baronet, the Member for Cockermouth be added to the Committee?

THE SPEAKER

No addition can be made without notice. The number has been fixed at seventeen.

SIR WILFRID LAWSON

I now beg to move that the Committee have power to send for persons, papers, and records. I move that in order that the Committee may have before them the deliberate this House that the way in which drink is sold in this House is illegal. It is very statement of the Attorney-General in important to the Committee to know that, and when they get that knowledge I have confidence in them, as law-abiding men, that they will take steps to put a stop to it.

Motion made and question proposed— That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers, and records."—Sir W. Lawson.

MR. T. M. HEALY

The statement of the Attorney General was that it was 12 o'clock. I venture to say that no opinion more extraordinary was ever given by a Law Officer. It has always been laid down that this was a Royal Palace. It was so laid down, at any rate, by a very eminent authority; and where the learned Attorney-General has got the view that it is illegal in this House to sell drink after 12 o'clock, or at any time, is more than I can understand. I venture to say it is absolutely reducing this House to a farce for the noble Lord opposite, the genial Whip of the 'Tory Party, to bring in a Bill to license the sale of drink in this House. This House, on a former occasion, took off the heads of a few kings, I understand; they did not look for law or order in those proceedings; and, certainly, in the case of supplying adequate refreshments to its Members, we have sufficient warrant in our own necessities to dispense with the necessity for any special legislation.

SIR W. LAWSON

I beg to withdraw the Motion.

Motion by leave withdrawn.

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