HC Deb 15 May 1900 vol 83 cc233-4
MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

I beg to ask the Patronage Secretary to the Treasury whether, when he proposed the Member for the Toxteth Division of Liverpool to serve on the Army Contracts Committee, he was aware that the hon. Member is chairman of the British and American Steam Navigation Company, Limited, which has contracts with several Government Departments, including the War Office; and if so, what explanation, if any, has he to offer for proposing the Member for the Toxteth Division to serve on this Committee.

* THE PATRONAGE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir WILLIAM WALROND,) Devon, Tiverton

No, Sir, I was not aware of the facts stated in the question of the hon. Gentleman.

[LATER.]

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

Mr. Speaker, I wish to read a notice which I think is contrary to the privileges and usages of Parliament, and probably is within the purview of that Act of Parliament by which gentlemen who contract with the War Office Departments are rendered ineligible for seats in this House. The notice has been issued from the office of R. P. Houston and Co.

* MR. SPEAKER

What is the date?

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

April 19th, 1899. It came into my hands this day.

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! The House cannot take cognisance of a matter that happened a year ago.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

I beg pardon. The date is April, 1900—last month.

* MR. SPEAKER

Matters of privilege must be brought promptly before the House. If the document has been in circulation for a month it is too late for the hon. Member to bring it before the House as a breach of privilege, nor is it any answer that the hon. Member only saw it to-day, otherwise matters might be brought before the House which occurred ten years ago. A question of privilege must be brought forward promptly and while it is of fresh interest.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

With great respect, if that be so, Sir, and as I regard this as a matter of most intense and enormous public interest, I think I shall be justified in taking the sense of the House as to the use of the Ten Minutes Rule—

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! That does not arise at present.