HC Deb 26 April 1910 vol 17 cc267-8

Considered in Committee.

[MR. EMMOTT in the Chair.]

(IN THE COMMITTEE.)

4.0 P.M.

Mr. GIBSON BOWLES

desire to ask a question on a point of Order for the information of the Committee. These proceedings are carried on under the Order allocating the time, and one of the latter paragraphs of that reads:—

"On the Committee stage of the Finance Bill no Amendments shall be in order except Amendments which, in the opinion of the Chairman, are properly moved as Amendments to any words or matter which represent additions to the Finance Bill, 1909, or substitution for words or matter in that Bill, or are moved for the purpose of reinserting words contained in the Finance Bill as passed by this House, but not contained in the Bill, or Amendments consequential thereon."

I desire to ask whether it is not the fact that under that Order no Amendment whatever can be moved to such part of the Finance Bill as represents the old Bill, and that no such Amendment can be moved by any Member of the Committee or even by the Government themselves. Secondly, wish to ask whether it is not the fact that Amendments under this Order will be restricted to such Amendments as are Amendments to Amendments already put into the Bill?

The CHAIRMAN

In reply to the hon. Member for King's Lynn have to say he is quite correct in assuming that no Amendment can be made to the old part of the Bill unless, of course, it happens to be an Amendment consequential to some Amendment properly accepted in another part of the Bill. The rule applies, of course, equally to the Government and to private Members. Secondly, with regard to the Amendments which will be in order. The only ones that can be so are those which in my opinion are properly moved as Amendments to additions to the Finance Bill of last year, or substitutions in that Bill, or are moved for the purpose of reinserting words which were in that Bill. In other words, they must apply to new matter. The first Amendment on the Paper in the name of the hon. Member for East St. Pancras (Mr. Mar- tin) is not a proper Amendment under the terms of the Resolution. The first in order is that of the hon. and learned Member for North Dublin (Mr. Clancy).