§ DR. FARQUHARSONI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether only one more day is to be allowed for the consideration of the Procedure Rules; whether the House will have the opportunity of having a Third Reading debate on the Rules; and whether, in preparation for this, and in consideration of the number of changes made in the Rules as originally framed, he will circulate a revised version for the information of hon. Members.
§ MR. CHAPLIN (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)I beg also to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he can state, for the convenience of many Members, the order in which he proposes to take the remaining Rules of Procedure which are now on the Paper; and if it is the intention of the Government to proceed with all of those Rules, and to press them to a conclusion.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not think that, beyond the opportunity which would necessarily be given when the Motion is made that the new Rules be Standing Orders of the House, it is not necessary to give further facilities for a general debate. I may remind the House that we have already taken three weeks of Parliamentary time on these Rules, and perhaps more time has been spent in their discussion than is absolutely necessary. With regard to the suggestion of the hon. Member that the Rules should be re-printed in consequence of the numerous changes made, I think he will find all the information he desires on the Blue Paper, which is extremely complete. Of course, there would be no difficulty in re-printing the Rules, but that would lead to a multiplicity of Papers, which would be rather confusing instead of clearing the way. In answer to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Sleaford, I have to say that we must evidently proceed as fast as possible with the block of Rules, which do not come into operation until they are all passed, but which do then come into operation together. As soon as that moment is reached, it will be proposed to make them Standing Orders. After the House has disposed of the one now under discussion, the other Rules of the block will be taken in the following order :—Questions, Motions for Adjournment, 52 Private Bill business, Quorum of the House, Standing Committee, and Sittings of the House. These are all embraced in the block which it is proposed to move together as Standing Orders. I do not propose, however, to place the remaining Rules before other important business which seems likely to put a heavy strain on the time and attention of the House.
§ MR. CHAPLINI understood the right hon. Gentleman to say the Question Rule will betaken next, but I did not gather in what order the rest are to be taken. There are on the Paper this afternoon four Orders of the Day relating to Questions of Procedure. Do I understand that they are to be taken as they stand? It will be a great convenience to the House to know exactly in what order these Rules are to be taken.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI did give the information my right hon. friend desires, but perhaps he did not catch it. [The right hon. Gentleman repeated his statement.] I propose to go on with the Rules required to complete the block of Orders relating to the arrangement of business, and I shall take them in the order I have named.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think that is so.
§ MR. CHAPLINYou give precedence to the four Orders of the Day relating to Procedure. But the Rule relating to Questions is not mentioned there. Do you propose to take it before the first four Orders—which deal with—(1) Supply Rules; (2) Sittings of the House; (3) Second and Third Readings; and (4) Order in Debate.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe Government have the right to arrange their business as they choose. They put down first the adjourned debate on the proposed new Standing Order, and then it is intimated that the further proposals appear on a separate Paper. There the right hon. Gentleman will find a series of Motions to come on next.
§ MR. CHAPLINI hope that for the convenience of the House it will be possible in future to put the Rules on the Orders of the Day in the order in which it is intended they shall be taken.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the course we have adopted is the most intellgible to the House, but if the right hon. Gentleman can suggest any alteration I shall be glad to consider it.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask you, Mr. Speaker, if it is not in accordance with the practice of the House, immediately after the consideration of a new Standing Order, to put the Question, "That this be a Standing Order of the House."
§ MR. SPEAKERNot necessarily immediately after the Resolution is passed, but before it becomes a Standing Order it must be ordered to be a Standing Order.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESThen do I understand that all the new Standing Orders may be lumped together and passed as one Resolution?
§ MR. SPEAKERI am not clear whether that has been done before or not, but it is clear that the House could do it.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURIt has been done before.
§ MR. LOUGHWill the block of Rules which the right hon. Gentleman has mentioned come into operation immediately after we have adopted them?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURYes.