HC Deb 23 June 1904 vol 136 cc1013-4
MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL

desired a ruling from the Speaker upon a point of order which arose out of an incident on the previous day in connection with proceedure in the House. The point he desired to submit for ruling was whether a Member was in order in addressing a Question to a non-official Member of the House on a subject relating to a Motion, Bill, or other business of the House with which that non official Member was concerned. In asking for this ruling he mentioned that on the previous day Mr. Deputy-Speaker ruled—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, Order! The hon. Member is now asking me to give a ruling in reference to a ruling given yesterday by the Deputy-Speaker. That cannot be done.

MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL

said he did not intend the slightest disrespect towards the Deputy-Speaker's ruling; he was anxious for guidance in the future, fearing that a valuable right might be lost to private Members. Most respectfully he asked, and not in connection with any incident of the previous day, for a ruling on the point raised, and in doing so drew attention to the record of proceedings in the House on 29th April, 1864, from which it appeared that, in answer to Sir C. O. Loghlan, the then Speaker said:—The Rule of the House in respect to asking Questions is that any Question can be put relating to any Bill, Motion, or any other public matter relating to business of the House, and if the hon. Member is prepared to show that his Question comes within this limit he may put it, otherwise he must take the opportunity of referring to the subject in debate." He desired most respectfully to ask the Speaker's ruling on the point.

MR. SPEAKER

Of course I dissociate myself altogether from any suggestion that there is an appeal to me from any ruling given by the Chairman of Ways and Means. In answering the Question I confine myself to stating my opinion whether the ruling given in 1864 correctly represents the present Rule of the House. I think it does. The Question must relate to some Bill, proceeding, or matter for which the hon. Member to whom the Question is addressed has responsibility. It does not follow that any Question may be asked or that it ought to be asked without notice; it may be that the Member may require notice of the Question to be given. The hon. Member will understand that I give a categorical Answer to his Question and I decline to go further.

MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL

said he did not gather that the ruling of the Speaker was that in no circumstances could a Question be addressed to any Member without notice.

MR. SPEAKER

It is sufficient to say that the Rule is correctly stated in Sir Erskine May's work, and also, I believe, in the Manual of Procedure recently laid on the Table.

MR. CORRIE GRANT (Warwickshire, Rugby)

drew attention to the fact that Question 52 on the Paper was not asked. Was that due to the fact that it had been overlooked or had the hon. Member withdrawn it?

MR. SPEAKER

The hon. Member withdrew it.