§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLproceeded to ask a question in which he asked for the publication of the Report of the South African Commission, from which the Secretary to the Admiralty had quoted in a speech during the Easter recess.
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe question is not in a form in which it would be received at the Table.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI gave the notice at ten o'clock, and remained in the House till twenty minutes past two, yet the Clerk at the Table did not tell me it was out of order.
§ * MR. SPEAKERI did not know the hon. Member handed the question in at the Table; I spoke from what I heard the hon. Member say.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLAre the questions proposed to be put by Members of this House to be censored by the Clerks at the Table? Where do we stand?
§ * MR. SPEAKERIf the hon. Member will ask it in proper form—
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI did put it, in writing, in proper form, and the Clerk ruled it out of order.
§ * MR. SPEAKERIt is sufficient for me to say that the question is out of order now.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI will put it in another form. Is the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the House aware that the Secretary to the Admiralty referred to this Report in a speech he made at Belfast, and is there not a rule that when a Minister of the Crown refers to any public document it shall be published?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member, I understand, is referring to matters which have passed outside this House, and is using them by way of argument.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLI will tell you what I wish to do, Sir. The first part of my question was, no doubt, relevant. Then my contention was that, having regard to the fact that the Secretary to the Admiralty, a Minister of the Crown, and the Chairman of the Commission, referred to this Report, which has not yet been published, this House ought now to have it before it.
§ * MR. SPEAKERThat is not a question on a matter of fact. It is a matter of argument.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLMay I ask—
§ * MR. SPEAKERI hope the hon. Member will take the usual course of putting the question in writing, and then refer to me if any objection is taken to it at the Table.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWith great respect, Sir, this is a matter affecting the rights of every private Member of this House—it affects our rights of interrogation. I did hand in this question at ten p.m., and remained here till 2.30 a.m. Surely it was the absolute duty of the Clerk, if he objected to it, 793 to refer the matter to you and to tell me? I cannot have my questions suppressed by the Clerk.
§ * MR. SPEAKERIf the hon. Member has any complaint to make, the proper and usual course is to come to me. I will make inquiries, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.