§ SIR JOHN LENG (Dundee)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the declaration required from Members appointed on Private Bill Committees, for the maintenance of the dignity of this House, and to relieve it from repeated discussions delaying public business, he will propose a Standing Order precluding directors of companies voting on private Bills promoted by companies of which they are directors.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe hon. Member appears to desire that the principle applicable to a judicial body like a Committee sitting upstairs on private Bills should be applied to the House at large when they are dealing with these Bills on Second Reading or Third Reading. I do not know whether he desires that no Member should speak or vote on a Bill in which his constituents are interested. I agree with the hon. Gentleman that it is extremely inconvenient that there should not be a settled practice of the House in this matter. I do not agree with him as to the direction that settled practice should take, but I do agree with him that it should be settled one way or the other. I should hope that an opportunity of coming to a decision upon this question will occur in the course of the present session.
§ SIR JOHN LENGWill the right hon. Gentleman favour the appointment of a Select Committee to consider the question, of how private Bill legislation can be conducted with the least possible interference—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! Notice must be given of that question.
§ SIR JOHN BRUNNERWill the right hon. Gentleman consider whether a declaration from him alone would not be sufficient to encourage a practice which would meet with the approval of the House?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI greatly doubt whether any declaration I could make would meet with universal approval. I have no evidence of that.