§ Mr. BOOTHMay I draw attention to the fact that to-night there is a Private Bill down on an allotted day for Supply. May I ask whether that is the regular practice or whether it is becoming more frequent than in former years?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a question that I cannot answer off-hand. I should be very glad to give the next three or four hours to research into the matter. It certainly is the practice towards the end of the Session. It is absolutely necessary for the Chairman of Ways and Means to put private Bills down in Government time because the Government have the whole time. Earlier in the Session, according to the Standing Order, the Chairman of Ways and Means, has to allot Bills between Government time and private Members' time as fairly as he can. After a certain date he is obliged to take Government time for that purpose.
§ Sir WILLIAM BYLESAs a result of that is it not the case that the time allotted to Supply may be very seriously curtailed when Bills are put down at 8.15 by the will of the Chairman of Committees?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is the will of the House that determines. The Chairman of Committees proposes and the House disposes. Ho must put it down for some time, and if he were to put it down on a day on which the Committee stage of the National Insurance Bill was being taken there would be a loud outcry from hon. Members interested in that. Whatever time he puts it down there is sure to be objection.
Mr. KINGMay I point out that a large number of hon. Members wish to speak to-night on the education question, and will probably wish to make long speeches. If one or two early in the evening are allowed to make long speeches no one else gets in at all.
§ Mr. SPEAKERPerhaps the effect of putting the Bill down will be to shorten speeches.
§ Mr. PICKERSGILLIn reference to your observation that the matter is in the control of the House, would it be competent for any hon. Member, when the private Bill is called on, to move that the discussion be adjourned?
§ Mr. SPEAKERCertainly, and then, there would be a long discussion on the adjournment, which would probably be negatived, and then the discussion upon the Bill would commence, so probably it would not shorten matters in the end.
§ Mr. PICKERSGILLThen the matter is not under the control of the House.
§ Mr. SPEAKERWhat I meant was that the time which the House chooses to occupy on the discussion of the private Bill is a matter entirely in the control of the House. If hon. Members wish to get on with the Education Estimates they can shorten their speeches on the private Bill.