HC Deb 02 May 1911 vol 25 cc285-319

Any certificate of the Speaker of the House of Commons given under this Act shall be conclusive for all purposes, and shall not be questioned in any court of law.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

I beg to move, to insert at the beginning of this Clause, the words "Subject to the provisions of this Act."

The Amendment standing in my name on the Paper, to insert the words, "Except as hereinbefore provided," was consequential on another Amendment which I put down, and which was not accepted by the Committee. I then handed in an Amendment to insert at the beginning of this Clause the words, "Subject to the provisions of this Act," these words being dependent on another Clause, which runs as follows:—

"The validity of the certificate of the Speaker of the House of Commons under this Act may be questioned within three months after such certificate has been given by application to the Court of Appeal, whose decision shall be final and conclusive."

In submitting this Amendment to the Committee, I must recall to their attention the enormously wide powers that they have decided to give Mr. Speaker under Clause 1 and Clause 2.

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

I understand that the hon. Member proposes to move later on a new Clause in the direction that the decision of Mr. Speaker may be questioned in a Court of Law. Is that in order?

The CHAIRMAN

I cannot admit words before this Clause for the purpose of discussing an Amendment which would be contradictory to the Clause. Therefore the Amendment of the hon. Member is out of order.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

I venture to submit to you, Sir, that it would be in order to move qualifying words in this Clause, providing that, subject to certain qualifications the certificate of Mr. Speaker shall be final and conclusive after a period has elapsed, and I think if it has remained unquestioned for three months it may be taken to be final. I thought that it would be more convenient to put in these words in a new Clause dependent upon the words "subject to the provisions of this Act," but, of course, they can be inserted in the Clause itself. I might have put this question of three months in the Clause.

The CHAIRMAN

The hon. Member cannot move the Amendment to this Clause. The next Amendment on the Paper is to leave out "Any" and insert "A." That would be one of several consequential Amendments which I confess I do not understand, as they are put upon the Paper. I will therefore call upon the hon. Member for East Grinstead (Mr. Cautley) to explain.

Mr. CAUTLEY

I beg to move to leave out the word "Any" ["Any certificate of the Speaker of the House of Commons"] and to insert instead thereof the word "A."

I submit that the certificate given by the Speaker should be in a form prescribed by a Standing Order of this House. The position of the Speaker, in giving this deci- sion will be very doubtful, and it does not appear whether he is to act upon his own initiative or whether it is to be debated in this House, in what form he is to give his certificate, and, so far as I can see, it may be given as a mere formality over the dinner-table or at any other hue. Therefore I propose the present Amendment coupled with the Amendment which stands in my name later on in the Paper after the word "Act" ["given under this Act"] to insert "in a form prescribed by Standing Orders of the House of Commons." I think it is necessary that some form of some sort should be prescribed so that some rule should be laid down for the giving of this certificate. It will be within the recollection of the Committee that there are two certificates-one under Clause 1, to the effect that the Bill in question is a Money Bill, of which the Speaker is to be the sole judge, and I submit that I make this Clause workable by proposing that it is desirable that the Standing Orders should prescribe at any rate the form of the certificate. I therefore suggest that there should be a form prescribed in the Standing Orders as to how the opinion of the Speaker is to he taken; whether he is to decide upon the question before the Bill comes up or whether in the course of a Debate any Member may take upon himself to ask whether the Bill under consideration is a Money Bill, and whether the question is to be debated in a regular way or not. The other certificate that the Speaker is to give is under Sub-section (3) of Clause 2 as to whether a Bill is identical with a former Bill or contains only such alterations as are certified by the Speaker of the House of Commons to be necessary owing to the time which has elapsed since the date of the former Bill, or to represent Amendments which have been made by the House of Lords in the former Bill in the preceding Session. The Speaker, therefore has to decide very serious matters, and it is a question worthy of the consideration of this Committee whether any form should be prescribed for the giving of the certificate.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Sir Rufus Isaacs)

The object of the hon. and learned Member opposite is in order that the certificate of the Speaker given under this Clause 2 may be in a form prescribed by the Standing Orders of the House, but just let me point out first of all that we had a Debate on this matter with reference to Clause 1. Upon that Clause also it was proposed that we should have a schedule, and that was negatived by the Committee, who have therefore come to the conclusion that it is not necessary that the Speaker should have a definite duty to give a certificate under a form prescribed in the Act. It therefore seems to be unnecessary to prescribe that the certificate should be in accordance with the provisions of this Clause. The first objection I have to make to the Amendment proposed by the hon. and learned Member is that the question of the procedure of the House must always be under the control of the House of Commons, and is intended to remain under that control. The House of Commons may do what it likes with its own Standing Orders. It might pass a Standing Order that there should he a particular form, and in time come to the conclusion that it was unnecessary, and they might repeal it. We do not interfere in any way by the Clauses of this Bill with the right of the House of Commons to determine its procedure in whatever form it may think desirable. We cannot accept the Amendment which is proposed by the hon. and learned Member, therefore, because it seems unnecessary. If you look at Clause 2 you will see, as the hon. and learned Gentleman himself said, that there are certain things which the Speaker has to certify. There are three distinct conditions under which it would be necessary for him to certify with reference to a Bill going from this House to the other. I submit to the Committee that it is unnecessary to prescribe any particular form in which the Speaker is to do this.

I cannot quite flee that you can prescribe a form which would be nothing else but a certificate, merely containing the words and phrases which must necessarily be the language of the law. It would be far better to leave it as it is, because when the Speaker conies to consider what he has to do in order to give his certificate he sees the conditions which are prescribed in Clause 3, and he will know when he comes to deal with the Bill which of those provisions it is he has to consider. He will go through them and give his certificate in accordance with the provisions of file Bill, and under these circumstances I think it is unnecessary to prescribe any particular form for the certificate to be given by the Speaker; and more especially would it be undesirable to prescribe by means of a Standing Order what it is that the Speaker should do. If you do pass a Standing Order, in accordance with the desire of the hon. Member, the Committee will see at once that that need not necessarily always remain a Standing Order to apply to a particular certificate, and you may have a condition of things in which the House of Commons may repeal that particular order and put another in its place. But under any circumstances, the broad view which we have taken with regard to it is the same as we have taken with regard to Clause 1, and that is that it is really not desirable to prescribe any form in which the Speaker is to give a certificate. The Act of Parliament prescribes what it is to be and when he has performed that function the Bill is presented to His Majesty for assent, and if he has performed his duty, I think it would be unnecessary to put it in the form of a Standing Order or any other form or to give any advice on the subject. The same form of answer applies to the hon. Member's criticism in regard to Clause 1,

Mr. HARRY LAWSON

The refusal of the Government to accept this Amendment shows what the Prime Minister calls "incurable sloppiness" in dealing with this Parliament Bill. Here you have a certificate setting out facts and proceedings and therefore it is a fit subject for our Standing Orders. It vitally affects the relations between the two Houses and it has to be taken to the other House before by Commission the Royal Assent can be given to the Bill. I do not see that the form proposed by my hon. Friend is an idle one, but I do say it is a very grave omission in this Bill which pretends to explain so much and explains so little; which pretends to define to a certain extent, and defines nothing, that there should be no form offered in the schedule by which the Speaker gives the certificate. I think it puts the Speaker in a very false position, and I am sure he would prefer to have precise directions in the form of a schedule. I am bound to say, moreover, that I think the Committee is entitled to some further explanation from the Postmaster-General as to whether any form is to be brought up or whether we are to have in the schedule of the Bill when it is finally adopted any prescribed form in which the Speaker is to give his certificate. Seeing that it is a matter between the two Houses that it will go to the steps of the Throne and into the hands of the Royal Commissioners who stand for the Sovereign, it is, I think, wanting in respect as well as being contrary to all the rules of procedure in the past not only in this, but all other Parliaments, not to have a fixed and settled form now that you are doing away with the old procedure. I think that the Postmaster-General should consider the question if he is not prepared to take the precise form in the Schedule which hangs to the Amendment of the hon. Gentlemen.

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

I do not know why the hon. Member should point to me. The Attorney-General has very clearly spoken the mind of the Government on the subject, and I have really nothing to add.

8.0 P.M.

Viscount HELMSLEY

I do not see any reason why the Government should dismiss this matter in the cavalier manner in which it is suggested. I should think the Postmaster-General might have realised that there is a good deal that ought to be added, even if he does not choose to add it. There is a great deal of force in the contention of my hon. Friend. Surely it is for the convenience of this House that it should be prescribed in the Standing Orders, what the duty of the Speaker is in regard to matters connected with the House, so that it is clear or might be clear to anybody who has to refer to the duties of the Speaker, and that they should not have to look to the Act itself, but should find those duties laid down in our own Standing Orders We all realise, however, that the objection of the Government to this proposal is not that it is an unreasonable one because it is eminently reasonable. The objection to it is that they are afraid it would involve their altering the Standing Orders, and they do not presumably want to give the necessary time to put this small alteration into the Standing Orders which this Amendment would require. I think it is a pity. I do not think the argument of the Attorney-General carried much weight when he said the Standing Order might have, at some subsequent time, to be amended. What has that to do with it? If it is in the Standing Order it is there until it is amended, and it is better, as far as I can see, to be in the Standing Order than that it should be sought for within the Act, if it ever becomes an Act. The Parliament Bill may be good or bad. We have debated that, very inadequately, during the last few days, and a great many things which we should like to have debated we have not been able to debate owing to the course adopted by the Government. When you get a thing like this which raises no question of principle, but merely a question of finance, which, if adopted, would improve the Government Bill, I cannot imagine why they do not accept it, except that they have got into this habit of refusing to accept anything which comes from this side of the House, even if they can give no valid reason for not doing so.

Mr. HUME-WILLIAMS

I have listened with the closest attention to the reason. given by the Attorney-General why the Amendment is not to be accepted by the Government, and for the life of me I cannot understand why it is not accepted. Apparently what the Attorney General says is that because the Act defines what the Speaker is to do, and the circumstances under which the certificate is to be given, therefore he is not to have the form supplied to him in which the certificate is given. In almost every public Act of Parliament which prescribes that certain duties shall be carried out by officials, a certificate is required to be given in the form which is to be used. Think what the unfortunate Speaker has to do in the future. Apparently his daily task is to look through all the Bills which are coming before the House, reading them with great care in order to see if they are finance Bills, or if they have anything is them that is incidental to, or subordinate to, finance—a task which will certainly tax, the ingenuity and consume the time of the Speaker—and yet you will not even relieve him of the small task of designing the particular form which his certificate is to take. For goodness sake, if all these extra duties are to be put upon him have the charity to supply him with a form in the Schedule that he may use. Really there is no valid reason given by the Government why the. Amendment should not be accepted.

Viscount CASTLEREAGH

The Government appear to me to be adopting a very curious attitude with respect to this Amendment. We have the word "certificate" in the Bill, and if "certificate" means anything it means a form. I should really like to know what the intention of the Government is as to what the Speaker shall do in respect to the various Bills as to which he has to give a certificate. What is a certificate? Will he write an opinion on a sheet of notepaper or send a message when the Bill is presented in another place? We understand nothing about it. The Attorney-General tells us "this is the broad view we take." In respect to an Act of Parliament we do not want the broad view of the Government; we want a water-tight Act, with everything laid down as to how it is to be done, and how each individual who is called upon to do something under the Act is to do it. We are placing on the Speaker entirely new duties. They are duties which he has not been called upon to perform before, and it is laid down in the Clause that a certificate is to be given by the Speaker. I think we are entitled to an answer from the Government as to what a certificate is. A certificate is a written statement. For a businesslike Assembly to say this is the broad view of the Government and the Speaker is to give a certificate, whatever the certificate may be, is really a travesty of the way in which things ought to be carried on. I hope the Postmaster-General, if he is not entitled to accept Amendments for the Government at this hour of the evening, will tell us what his view is as to what a certificate is.

Mr. BALFOUR

I think there is a little more in this than the Government appear to suppose. I understand the Attorney-General's objection to be that there is no use putting Standing Orders in the Bill, because the actual Standing Order itself may be modified every Session if the House so pleases. There may be some substance in that objection, but it really does not go to the root of the matter. The real underlying ground of this Amendment is that we ought to have, and the House of Lords ought to have, in unmistakable terms the certificate of Mr. Speaker, on whose decision so much depends. Very doubtful cases would come before the Speaker, and I do not know how he will deal with them or how he will embody his views upon them. Surely the matter would be much clearer and beyond dispute in the House of Lords if you put in the Schedule the form of words proposed to be used. You leave it now absolutely dark. I do not think it very much matters so far as this House is concerned, but you are dealing now with this very delicate point of disputes between the two Houses in which the officer of one House is the sole arbitrator. That is one of the difficulties in the Bill and one of the rather paradoxical positions taken up by the Government. I think you ought so to frame your Bill that there can be no doubt in the other House as to what your Statute means and as to the occasion on which a certificate has been given, or has not been given, in the form contemplated by the Statute. Some such form of words as this, "The Speaker of the House of Commons ceRtifies that this Bill does come under such and such words of the Act," would prevent all possibility of mistakes or any ambiguity of statement on the part of the Speaker.

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

The right hon. Gentleman is really inviting the Government to go back on a decision which has already been given by the Committee. This proposal has been previously made on Clause 1 that there shall be a form of certificate in the, Schedule, and the matter was debated at some length, and the Committee came to a resolution that there should be no Schedule containing a certificate. The right hon. Gentleman will not contend that there is any difference in this matter between Clause 1 and Clause 2, because there is no argument which can be advanced on this particular Clause which does not apply to Clause 1 and vice versa. The Government will be precluded from accepting, and any hon. Member will be precluded from moving, on this Clause that there should be a certificate in the Schedule in view of the decision already arrived at.

Mr. BALFOUR

On a point of Order, is that so? I have not the circumstances very clearly in my memory, but I am ready to accept the right hon. Gentleman's version. Would it not be in order to put in an Amendment of the Schedule in regard to Clause 2?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

The same argument which influenced the House in its decision in respect to the Amendment of Clause 1 must necessarily influence the Committee similarly in respect to other Clauses of the Bill. The right hon. Gentleman has assumed that cases may arise in which the Speaker will give his Certificate with such little confidence that no one will know whether it is really a certificate under the Bill or not. I think any Member of the House who is chosen to fill the high office of Speaker can safely be entrusted with the duty of drawing up a form of certificate which will state to the House of Lords that the Bill in question is a Bill to which Clause 1 or Clause 2 applies, as the case may be.

Sir WILLIAM BULL

I should like to draw the Attorney-General's attention to the analogy of the judgment of the High Court which is extremely carefully considered. In many cases when a new form of judgment is in contemplation the judge reserves his judgment, and in Chancery cases the order of the Court goes through a complicated machinery in Chambers before anything is drawn up. It seems to me that is a cognate argument for the judgment of the Speaker, which is far more important than the majority of judgments given by judges of the High Court, and the wording of it must be drawn with the very greatest care. It would be supporting the Speaker in his already difficult task of having to decide this matter if at any rate there was a form of words which was agreed to in the first instance, so that at any rate he might know the lines on which he could go. I think there is a great deal of substance in the Amendment.

Mr. POLLOCK

Has the Attorney-General considered that by this Clause the Certificate is made conclusive, and it is not to be questioned in any court of law? I assume that means that in order that differentation may be understood and known between Money Bills and other Bills, that is to say Bills which have been passed in one way or in the other way, it is important that their differentiation should be certified, and for all purposes that no question should arise upon them. For that purpose it is important that a particular Bill should have the certificate attached of the Speaker. Supposing this matter does go into a court of law, the certificate of the Speaker is to be conclusive. What would be produced in court? I quite agree that in the House of Commons the mere signature of the Speaker would be sufficient, but supposing for some purpose, as apparently is contemplated by the Statute, it was necessary to indicate in a court of law that this particular Bill was a Money Bill, and was certified by the Speaker and no question could arise upon it. Does the Attorney-General say that all that would be produced would be a mere signature, such as would be given in this House? What form of certificate does he propose should be brought into the court? I invite his attention to it because he will agree that it would be a very remarkable thing if you had in a court of law merely to produce something which was merely under the signature of the Speaker. Most documents of that sort are brought forward in a court of law under some seal or some apparent authority, and I think for the purpose of this Clause itself, it is really due to the dignity of the House that there should be some sort of formal certificate given which should bear in itself, intrinsically, the weight and authority of its being the certificate of the Speaker. I invite the Attorney-General's attention to the position of matters when the certificate does go to where you want it to to have finality, to be accepted at once, and to be unquestioned. Is it fair to leave the certificate at large, and to accept merely a signature which would be good in this House, but is not apparently so consistent with the dignity and importance of the Speaker as to be good enough in other places. I ask the Attorney-General to say whether some form of certificate should not be prescribed which would make it effective in all places where it is to be brought in for purposes of identification.

Mr. MITCHELL-THOMSON

The Attorney-General said that the matter has already been decided by the decision arrived at on Clause 1. I should like to point out to the hon. and learned Gentleman that he entirely forgets the arguments by which the Government supported that decision. They were that these certificates by the Speaker are given every day in regard to Money Bills, that no schedule is necessary, and that the giving of them is the common practice of the House. If it is done every day as a matter of practice in regard to Money Bills, he asked, why any new form of words should be stereotyped? I think there is some force in that contention as regards Money Bills under Clause 1, but entirely different arguments apply to Clause 1 from those which apply to Clause 2. Certificates under Clause 2 cannot be said to be given now. They do not occur now, and therefore we are dealing with an entirely new set of circumstances and conditions. I think there is a great deal to be said for the view of my hon. Friend that some form of words ought to be provided. I am not sure whether they should be provided by a Standing Order or by a Schedule to this Bill. I would rather they were provided by a Schedule. I do not know that there is any actual precedent for a reference in a Standing Order to procedure under any Act of Parliament. I do not think there is any such reference in the Standing Orders to-day. I suggest to the Postmaster-General that some form of words will have to be considered. As a matter of fact the only certificates given now are given not by the Speaker but by the Clerk of the House. I forget the exact words which are in Norman-French. There is a certificate endorsed on every Bill in a perfectly well recognised form. It is true that they are not sterotyped in any Schedule or Act of Parliament, but they are sterotyped by custom. Here you are dealing with a new custom and you have to create a precedent for yourself. I think the proposal well deserves serious consideration that some form of words should be adopted until we reach a stage when a custom may be assumed to have grown up, and also that, as a matter of fact, the actual certificate ought to be on the Bill itself.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

I would remind the Postmaster-General and the Attorney-General that the question of the application of the Schedule to Clause 3 was raised last night by myself on an Amendment which was seconded by the Noble Lord the Member for Oxford University (Lord Hugh Cecil). The Prime Minister gave an ejaculation of assent that it should receive serious consideration. I do not quite understand the non possumus attitude taken by the Attorney-General now. I ask the Government whether they mean to throw some light upon the way in which this new power to be given to Mr. Speaker will work. We are absolutely in darkness on that point. On Clause 1 we asked when Mr. Speaker's decision was to be given, and we were told nothing, and now on Clause 3 we ask how he is to give his certificate, and again we are told nothing. Surely it is very important that we should know. Surely the certificate of Mr. Speaker is not to be given sub rosa and in such terms as he thinks fit? There ought not only to be a form of certificate, but a definition of the occasions on which it is to be given. The matters are exceedingly complicated. The definition of "Money Bill" is exceedingly complicated, and I submit that Mr. Speaker ought to be able to say in what respects a Bill is a Money Bill—for example, whether it is a Money Bill because it deals with charges on the Consolidated Fund or with matters of taxation.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

It is certainly not in order to go into these questions on this Amendment.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

I was not arguing that Mr. Speaker should not have power to do this, but I was arguing that in the certificate he gives he should state the grounds on which a Bill is a Money Bill under Clause 1, and similarly there should be a form of certificate in regard to Bills under Clause 2. I do not know whether it would be in order to make a bet across the floor of the House. [An HON MEMBER: "Go on—make a sporting offer."] I venture to say that the particular point which I am now raising has not been debated on any previous Amendment.

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

indicated dissent.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

I do not think it has, but perhaps I may have a conversation with the right hon. Gentleman on that point. Something similar has been discussed, but not that point. I draw a distinction between the decision of the Speaker and the certificate on which he is to certify. Again, in Clause 2 there are these three difficult and complicated matters about identity, about the necessity of changes, and about changes which represent former Amendments of the House of Lords. I think he ought, in the certificate which is given, to specify that his certificate is given in respect of one or other of those matters, and Standing Orders ought to provide that the grounds of any certificate should be set forth. But as the Bill stands at present it seems to me that Mr. Speaker will be absolutely free, without informing the House at all, to write his certificate in any form he pleases. There is no provision for its authentication by any authority, and obviously questions may arise as to whether it is a true certificate at all unless it be prescribed either by Schedule to this Act or by Standing Orders. There is another point. I do think that before Mr. Speaker issues a certificate the House of Commons ought to have a chance of knowing the grounds on which the certificate is to be issued. Not merely should they be stated to the House of Lords in the certificate, but they ought to have a chance, and that ought to be laid down in the Standing Orders, of knowing the grounds on which Mr. Speaker proposes and is about to issue his certificate. I would like to conclude as I began by asking the learned Attorney-General not to take up a non possumus attitude in this matter in view of the fact that the Prime Minister yesterday distinctly said that a schedule on this point was a matter that was deserving of consideration. And the Committee certainly understood that it would have his consideration before next day.

Sir WILLIAM ANSON

I cannot help feeling that a very important part of the machinery of this Bill is dealt with in this Clause in a somewhat perfunctory way. First of all as to the two questions of Money Bills and Bills which have gone through the requirements of Clause 2, the Speaker will have to issue a certificate in the first case that it is a Money Bill, and in the second case that the Bill satisfies the requirements of the Clause. In the third case, as to which, I am bound to say, the Bill is extremely vague, he will have to issue a certificate to somebody or other that the Bill is identical with the former Pill or in a fourth case that it contains only such alterations as are necessary owing to the lapse of time. That Subsection leaves it quite uncertain as to whether the Speaker's certificate is to reassure the House of Commons or to control the action of the House of Lords. Here are certainly four very important occasions on which the Speaker is to issue a document which is of the highest constitutional importance. And what I venture to put to the Committee is that it ought not to be left in the air as it is in this Clause. I am disposed to agree with the view of the Government that it would De undesirable to put a form into the schedule because, the procedure being entirely novel, it is quite possible that the form prescribed in the Schedule to the Bill might not turn out to be the form most suitable to the occasion that arises. I put that aside. But I do say that the Clause ought to provide that the certificate shall be in some form provided for by the Standing Orders of the House, and in that way this Committee and the House will show that they are alive to the serious importance of the certificates which the Speaker is to issue, and that they ought to be in a form carefully considered by this House. In any one of the four cases which I have mentioned, I venture to say that the certificate ought to be in a form determined by some recognised authority, that the Speaker ought to be relieved of the responsibility of determining the form of the certificate, that this House ought to undertake that duty itself, and ought to undertake it so that the certificate should be in a form to be provided by the Standing Orders of the House of Commons.

Viscount CASTLEREAGH

When a Bill comes to be construed in a court of law subsequently, who is to certify as to the Speaker's certificate? There is nothing here to satisfy a court of law when called upon to construe a Bill that the Speaker's certificate has been given.

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

I do not know whether I am in order in answering that question, because I think it arises on another Amendment. But if I may be allowed, I am quite prepared to answer now. The certificate required from the Speaker has to accompany the Bill. That answers the point raised by the Noble Lord, who seemed to suggest that all the Speaker would have to do was to say to somebody that he thought it was satisfactory. The phraseology that the Bill shall be accompanied by the certificate of the Speaker was used in Sub-clause 3 of Clause 1, and is now in the Bill as amended. Therefore there will be a certificate accompanying that Bill when it is presented to His Majesty for Royal Assent. I promised to consider yesterday—

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

The right hon. Gentleman has given his answer to the question.

Mr. CAUTLEY

The point is this: If a Bill passed without the assent of the House of Lords—not this particular Bill itself—comes into a court of law, how will the judge say that it was an Act of Parliament when it is only passed by this House?

Mr. WATT

rose in his place, and claimed to move, "That the Question be now put."

Question put, "That the Question be now put."

The Committee divided: Ayes. 242; Noes, 104.

Division No. 203.] AYES. [8.35 p.m.
Abraham, William (Dublin Harbour) Beck, Arthur Cecil Buxton, Noel (Norfolk, N)
Abraham, Rt. Hon. William (Rhondda) Bean, W. (Tower Hamlets, St. Geo.) Byles, William Pollard
Adamson, William Bentham, G. J. Carr-Gomm, H. W.
Addison, Dr. C. Bethell, Sir J. H. Cawley, H. T. (Lancs., Heywood)
Alden, Percy Black, Arthur W. Clough, William
Allen, A. A. (Dumbartonshire) Boland, John Pius Collins, Godfrey P. (Greenock)
Allen, Charles Peter (Stroud) Booth, Frederick Handel Collins, Stephen (Lambeth)
Baker, H. T. (Accrington) Bowerman, C. W. Compton-Rickett, Rt. Hon. Sir J.
Baker, Joseph Allen (Finsbury, E.) Boyle, Daniel (Mayo, North Condon, Thomas Joseph
Balfour, Sir Robert (Lanark) Brace, William Cornwall, Sir Edwin A.
Barnes, George N. Brady, P. J. Cotton, William Francis
Barran, Sir J. N. (Hawick) Brigg, Sir John Crawshay-Williams, Eliot
Barry, Redmond John (Tyrone, N.) Brocklehurst, William B. Crooks, William
Barton, William Brunner, John F. L. Crumley, Patrick
Beale, W. P. Burns, Rt. Hon John Cullinan, J.
Beauchamp, Edward Burt, Rt. Hon. Thomas Dalziel, Sir James H. (Kirkcaldy)
Davies Ellis William (Eifion) Kennedy, Vincent Paul Rea, Rt. Hon. Russell (South Shields)
Davies, Sir W. Howell (Bristol, S.) Kilbride, Denis Reddy, Michael
Dawes, J. A. King, Joseph (Somerset, North Redmond, John E. (Waterford)
Denman, Hon. R. D. Lamb, Ernest Henry Redmond, William (Clare, E.)
Devlin, Joseph Lambert, Richard (Wilts, Cricklade) Richards, Thomas
Dillon, John Lansbury, George Richardson, Thomas (Whitehaven)
Doris, William Law, Hugh A. (Donegal, West) Roberts, George H. (Norwich)
Duncan, C. (Barrow-in-Furness) Lawson, Sir W. (Cumb'rid.,Cockerm'th) Robertson, Sir G. Scott (Bradford)
Duncan, J. Hastings (York, Otley) Leach, Charles Robertson, John M. (Tyneside)
Edwards, Allen C. (Glamorgan, E.) Levy, Sir Maurice Robinson, Sidney
Edwards, Enoch (Hanley) Lewis, John Herbert Roche, Augustine (Louth, N.)
Edwards, John Hugh (Glamorgan, Mid) Logan, John William Roche, John (Galway, E.)
Elibank, Rt. Hon. Master of Low, Sir Frederick (Norwich) Samuel, Rt. Hon. H. L. (Cleveland)
Elverston, Harold Lundon, Thomas Samuel, J. (Stockton)
Esmonde, Dr. John (Tipperary, N.) Lynch, A. A. Samuel, Stuart M. (Whitechapel)
Esmonde, Sir Thomas (Wexford, N.) Macdonald, J. R. (Leicester Scanlan, Thomas
Essex, Richard Walter Macdonald, J. M. (Falkirk Burghs) Schwann, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles E.
Fenwick, Charles Maclean, Donald Seely, Col. Rt. Hon. J. E. B.
Ffrench, Peter Macnamara, Dr. Thomas J. Sheehy, David
Field, William Mac Neill, John Gordon Swift Sherwell, Arthur James
Fitzgibbon, John MacVeagh, Jeremiah Simon, Sir John Allsebrook
Flavin, Michael Joseph M'Callum, John M. Smith, Albert (Lancs., Clitheroe)
Gelder, Sir W. A. M'Micking, Major Gilbert Smith, H. B. Lees (Northampton)
Gill, A. H. Markham, Arthur Basil Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim, S.)
Goddard, Sir Daniel Ford Marks, George Croydon Snowden, P.
Goldstone, Frank Martin, Joseph Spicer, Sir Albert
Guest, Hon. Frederick E. (Dorset, E.) Meagher, Michael Stanley, Albert (Staffs, N.W.)
Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (Galway) Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.) Strachey, Sir Edward
Hackett, John Meehan, Patrick A. (Queen's Co.) Summers, James Woolley
Hall, Frederick (Normanton) Menzies, Sir Walter Sutton, John E.
Hancock, J. G. Molloy, Michael Taylor, John W. (Durham)
Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose) Moltene, Percy Alport Taylor, Theodore C. (Radcliffe)
Hardie, J. Keir (Merthyr Tydvil) Money, L. G. Chlozza Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton)
Harvey, A. G. C. (Rochdale) Morton, Alpheus Cleophas Thorne, William (West Ham)
Harvey, T. E. (Leeds, W.) Muldoon, John Taulmin, George
Harvey, W. E. (Derbyshire, N.E.) Munro, Robert Ure, Rt. Hon. Alexander
Harwood, George Munro-Ferguson, Rt. Hon. R. C. Verney, Sir Harry
Haslam, James (Derbyshire) Nannetti, J. P. Walsh, Stephen (Lancs., Ince)
Havelock-Allan, Sir Henry Needham, Christopher T. Ward, W. Dudley (Southampton)
Haworth, Arthur A. Nicholson, Charles N. (Doncaster) Wardle, George J.
Hayden, John Patrick Nolan, Joseph Warner, Sir Thomas Courtenay
Hayward, Evan Norman, Sir Henry Watt, Henry A.
Helme, Norval Watson Norton, Captain Cecil W. Webb, H.
Henderson, Arthur (Durham) O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny) Wedgwood, Josiah C.
Henry, Sir Charles S. O'Connor, John (Kildare, N.) White, Sir Luke (York, E.R.)
Herbert, Col. Sir Ivor O'Doherty, Philip White, Patrick (Meath, North
Higham, John Sharp O'Dowd, John Whitehouse, John Howard
Hinds, John Ogden, Fred Whittaker, Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas P.
Hodge, John O'Grady, James Whyte, A. F.
Holt, Richard Durning O'Kelly, Edward P. (Wicklow. W.) Wiles, Thomas
Horne, C. Silvester (Ipswich) O'Kelly, James (Roscommon, N.) Wilkie, Alexander
Howard, Hon. Geoffrey O'Malley, William Williams, J. (Glamorgan)
Hughes, Spencer Leigh O'Neill. Dr. Charles (Armagh, S.) Williams, W. Llewelyn (Carmarthen)
Hunter, William (Lanark, Govan) O'Shaughnessy, P. J. Williams, Penry (Middlesbrough)
Isaacs, Sir Rufus Daniel O'Sullivan, Timothy Wilson, Hon. G. G. (Hull, W.)
John, Edward Thomas Parker, James (Halifax) Wilson, John (Durham, Mid)
Johnson, W. Pearce, Robert (Staffs., Leek) Wilson J. W. (Worcestershire, N.)
Jones, H. Haydn (Merioneth) Pearce, William (Limehouse) Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughten)
Jones, Leif Stratten (Notts, Rushcliffe) Pearson, Hon. Weetman H. M. Winfrey, Richard
Jones, William (Carnarvonshire) Phillips, John (Longford, S.) Wood, T. McKinnon (Glasgow)
Jones, W. S. Glyn- (Stepney) Pickersgill, Edward Hare Young, Samuel (Cavan, E.)
Jewett, Frederick William Pointer, Joseph Young, William (Perth, East)
Joyce, Michael Ponsonby, Arthur A. W. H.
Keating, Matthew Priestley, Sir W. E. B. (Bradford, E.) TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— Mr.
Kellaway, Frederick George Pringle, William M. R. Illingworth and Mr. Gulland.
Kelly, Edward Radford, G. H.
NOES.
Acland-Hood, Rt. Hon. Sir Alex. F. Bird, Alfred Crichton-Stuart, Lord Ninian
Altken, William Max. Boscawen, Col. Sackville T. Griffith- Dalrymple, Viscount
Anson, Sir William Reynell Boyton, J. Dickson, Rt. Hon. C. Scott
Ashley, Wilfrid W. Burn, Colonel C. R. Dixon, C. H.
Astor, Waldorf Campion, W. R. Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers-
Baker, Sir Randolf L. (Dorset, N.) Carlile, Edward Hildred Du Cros, Arthur Philip
Balcarres, Lord Cassel, Felix Duke, Henry Edward
Baldwin, Stanley Castlereagh, Viscount Faber, Capt. W. V. (Hants, W.)
Barlow, Montagu (Salford, S.) Cautley, Henry Strother Fell, Arthur
Barnston, H. Cave, George Forster, Henry William
Bathurst, Hon. A. B. (Glouc., E.) Chaloner, Colonel R. G. W. Foster, Philip Staveley
Bathurst, Charles (Wilts, Wilton) Clive, Percy Archer Gardner, Ernest
Benn, Ion Hamilton (Greenwich) Clyde, J. Avon Goldsmith, Frank
Bennett-Goldney, Francis Craig, Norman (Kent., Thanet) Goulding, Edward Alfred
Bigland, Alfred Crack, Sir Henry Guinness, Hon. Walter Edward
Hall, D. B. (Isle of Wight) Mackinder, Halford J. Sandys, G. J. (Somerset, Wells)
Hall, Fred (Dulwich) Macmaster, Donald Stanler, Beville
Hamilton, Marquess of (Londonderry) M'Calmont, Colonel James Stanley, Hon. G. F. (Preston)
Hardy, Laurence Magnus, Sir Philip Steel-Maitland, A. D.
Harris, Henry Percy Malcolm, Ian Stewart, Gershom
Henderson, Major H. (Berkshire) Mason, James F. (Windsor) Strauss, Arthur (Paddington, North
Hickman, Col. Thomas E. Meysey-Thompson, E. C. Swift, Rigby
Hill-Wood, Samuel Newman, John R. P. Sykes, Alan John
Hope, Harry (Bute) O'Neill, Hon. A. E. B. (Antrim. Mid) Talbot, Lord E.
Hope, James Fitzalan (Sheffield) Paget, Almeric H ugh Terrell, George (Wilts, N.W.)
Horner, Andrew Long Parkes, Ebenezer Thomson, W. Mitchell- (Down, N)
Houston, Robert Paterson Pease, Herbert Pike (Darlington) Valentia, Viscount
Hume-Williams, W. E. Perkins, Walter Frank Ward, A. S. (Herts, Watford)
Joynson-Hicks, William Pollock, Ernest Murray White, Major G. D. (Lancs., Southport)
Kebty-Fletcher, J. R. Pretyman, Ernest George Willoughby, Major Hon. Claude
Kimber, Sir Henry Pryce-Jones, Col. E. (M'tgom'y B'ghs.) Wood, John (Stalybridge)
Kirkwood, J. H. M. Rawson, Colonel Richard H. Yate, Colonel C. E.
Lane-Fox, G. R. Royds, Edmund
Larmor, Sir J. Rutherford, W. (Liverpool, W. Derby) TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr.
Lee, Arthur Hamilton Salter, Arthur Clavell J. C. Lyttelton and Mr. J. S.
Lonsdale, John Brownlee Sanders, Robert Arthur Fletcher.

Question put accordingly, "That the word 'any' stand part of the Clause."

The Committee divided: Ayes, 243; Noes, 104.

Division No. 204.] AYES [8.45 p.m.
Abraham William (Dublin Harbour) Duncan C. (Barrow-in-Furness) Keating, M.
Abraham,. Rt. Hon. William (Rhondda) Duncan, J. Hastings (York, Otley) Kellaway, Frederick George
Acland, Francis Dyke Edwards, Allen C. (Glamorgan, E.) Kelly, Edwerd
Adamson, William Edwards, Enoch (Hanley) Kennedy, Vincent Paul
Addison, Dr. C. Elibank, Rt. Hon. Master of Kilbride, Denis
Alden, Percy Elverston H. King, J. (Somerset, N.)
Allen, Arthur A. (DumBarton) Esmonde, Dr. John (Tipperary, N.) Lamb, Ernest Henry
Allen, Charles Peter (Stroud) Esmonde, Sir Thomas (Wexford, N.) Lambert, George (Devon, Morton)
Baker, H. T. (Accrington) Essex, Richard Walter Lansbury, George
Baker, Joseph A. (Finsbury, E) Fenwick, Charles Law, Hugh A. (Donegal, West)
Balfour, Sir Robert (Lanark) Ffrench, Peter Lawson, Sir W. (Cumb'rl'nd,Cockerm'th)
Barnes, G. N. Field, William Leach, Charles
Barran, Sir John N. (Hawick, B.) Fitzgibbon, James Levy, Sir Maurice
Barry, Redmond John Flavin, Michael Joseph Lewis, John Herbert
Barton, W. Gelder, Sir W. A Logan, John William
Beale, W. P. Gill, A. H. Low, Sir F. (Norwich)
Beauchamp, Edward Goddard, Sir Daniel Ford Lundon, T.
Beck, Arthur Cecil Goldstone, Frank Lynch, A. A.
Henn, W. (T. H'mts, St. George) Griffith, Ellis J. Macdonald, J. Ramsay (Leicester)
Bentham, G. J. Guest, Hon. Frederick E. (Dorset, E.) Macdonald, J. M. (Falkirk Burghs)
Bethell, Sir J. H. Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (Galway) Maclean, Donald
Black, Arthur W. Hackett, J. Macnamara, Dr. Thomas J.
Boland, John Pius Hall, Frederick (Normanton) MacNeill, John Gordon Swift
Booth, Frederick Handel Hancock, J. G. MacVeagh, Jeremiah
Bowerman, C. W. Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose) M'Callum, John M.
Boyle, Daniel (Mayo, North Hardie, J. Keir M'Micking, Major Gilbert
Brace, William Harvey, A. G. C. (Rochdale) Markham, Arthur Basil
Brady, Patrick Joseph Harvey, T. E. (Leeds, West) Marks, George Croydon
Brigg, Sir John Harvey, W. E. (Derbyshire, N.E.) Martin, Joseph
Brocklehurst, W. B. Harwood, George Meagher, Michael
Brunner, John F. L. Haslam, James (Derbyshire) Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.)
Burns, Rt. Hon. John Havelock-Allan, Sir Henry Meehan, Patrick A. (Queen's Co.)
Burt, Rt. Hon. Thomas Haworth, Arthur A. Menzies, Sir Walter
Buxton, Noel (Norfolk North Hayden, John Patrick Molloy, M.
Byles, William Pollard Hayward, Evan Molteno, Percy Allport
Carr-Gomm, H. W. Helm, Norval Watson Money, L. G. Chiozza
Cawley, Harold T. (Heywood) Henderson, Arthur (Durham) Morton, Alpheus Cleophas
Clough, William Henry, Sir Charles Solomon Muldoon, John
Collins, G. P. (Greenock) Herbert, Col. Sir Ivor Munro, R.
Collins, Stephen (Lambeth) Higham, John Sharp Munro-Ferguson, Rt. Hon. R. C.
Compton, Rickett, Rt. Hon. Sir J. Hinds, John Nannetti, Joseph P.
Condon Thomas Joseph Hodge, John Needham, Christopher T.
Cornwall, Sir Edwin A. Holt, Richard Durning Nicholson, Charles N. (Doncaster)
Cotton William Francis Horne, Charles Silvester (Ipswich) Nolan, Joseph
Crawshay-Williams, Eliot Howard, Hon. Geoffrey Norman, Sir Henry
Crooks, William Hughes, S. L. Norton, Captain Cecil W.
Crumley, Patrick Hunter, William (Lanark, Govan) O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny)
Cullinan, John Isaacs, Sir Rufus Daniel O'Connor, John (Kildare, N.)
Dalziel, Sir James H. (Kirkcaldy) John, Edward Thomas O'Doherty, Philip
Davies, E. William (Eifion) Johnson, W. O'Dowd, John
Davies, Sir W. Howell (Bristol, S.) Jones, H. Haydn (Merioneth) Ogden, Fred
Dawes, J. A. Jones, Leif Stratten (Notts, Rushcliffe) O'Grady, James
Denman, Mon. Richard Douglas Jones, William (Carnarvonshire) O'Kelly, Edward P. (Wicklow, W.)
Devlin, Joseph Jones, W. S. Glyn. (Stepney) O'Kelly, James (Roscommon, N.)
Dillon, John Jowett, F. W. O'Malley, William
Doris, William Joyce, Michael O'Neill, Dr. Charles (Armagh, S.)
O'Shaughnessy, P. J. Samuel, J. (Stockton) Wardle, George J.
O'Sullivan, Timothy Samuel, S. M. (Whitechapel) Warner, Sir Thomas Courtenay
Parker, James (Halifax) Scanlan, Thomas Watt, Henry A.
Pearce, Robert (Staffs, Leek) Schwann, Rt. Hon. Sir C. E. Webb, H.
Pearce, William (Limehouse) Seely, Col., Rt. Hon. J. E. B. Wedgwood, Josiah C.
Pearson, Hon. Weetman H. M. Sheehy, David White, Sir Luke (York, E. R.)
Phillips, John (Longford, S.) Sherwell, Arthur James White, Patrick (Meath, North
Pickersgill, Edward Hare Simon, Sir John Allsebrook Whitehouse, John Howard
Pointer, Joseph Smith, Albert (Lancs., Clitheroe) Whittaker, Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas P.
Ponsonby, Arthur A. W. H. Smith, H. B. (Northampton) Whyte, A. F. (Perth)
Priestley, Sir W. E. B. (Bradford, E.) Symth, Thomas F. Wiles, Thomas
Pringle, William M. R. Snowden, P. Wilkie, Alexander
Radford, G. H. Spicer, Sir Albert Williams, J. (Glamorgan)
Rea, Rt. Hon. Russell (South Shields) Stanley, Albert (Staffs., N.W.) Williams, Llewelyn (Carmarthen)
Reddy, M. Strachey, Sir Edward Williams, P. (Middlesbrough)
Redmond, John E. (Waterford) Summers, James Wooley Wilson, Hon. G. G. (Hull, W.)
Redmond, William (Clare) Sutton, John E. Wilson, John (Durham, Mid)
Richards, Thomas Taylor, John W. (Durham) Wilson, J. W. (Worcestershire, N.)
Richardson, Thomas (Whitehaven) Taylor, Theodore C. (Radcliffe) Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton)
Roberts, G. H. (Norwich) Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton) Winfrey, Richard
Robertson, Sir C. Scott (Bradford) Thorne, William (West Ham) Wood, T. McKinnon (Glasgow)
Robertson, J. M. (Tyneside) Taulmin, George Young, Samuel (Cavan, East)
Robinson, Sidney Ure, Rt. Hon. Alexander Young, William (Perth, East)
Roche, Augustine (Louth) Verney, Sir Harry
Roche, John (Galway, E.) Walsh, Stephen (Lancs., Ince) TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Mr.
Samuel, Rt. Hon. H. L. (Cleveland) Ward, W. Dudley (Southampton) Illingworth and Mr. Gulland.
NOES.
Acland-Heed, Rt. Hon. Sir Alex, F. Duke, Henry Edward Mason, James F. (Windsor)
Altken, William Max Faber, Captain W. V. (Hants, W.) Meysey-Thompson, E. C.
Anson, Sir William Reynell Fell, Arthur Newman, John R. P.
Ashley, W. W. Forster, Henry William O'Neill, Hon. A. E. B. (Antrim, Mid)
Astor, Waldorf Foster, Philip Staveley Paget, Almeria Hugh
Baker, Sir R. L. (Dorset, N.) Gardner, Ernest Parkes, Ebenezer
Balcarres, Lord Goldsmith, Frank Pease, Herbert Pike (Darlington)
Baldwin, Stanley Goulding, Edward Alfred Perkins, Walter F.
Barlow, Montague (Salford, S.) Guinness, Hon. W. E. Pollock, Ernest Murray
Barnston, H. Haddock, George Bahr Pretyman, Ernest George
Bathurst, Hon. A. B. (Glouc., E.) Hall, D. B. (Isle of Wight) Pryce-Jones, Col. E. (M'tgom'y B'ghs)
Bathurst, Charles (Wilts, Wilton) Hall, Fred (Dulwich) Rawson, Colonel R. H.
Benn, Ion Hamilton (Greenwich) Hamilton, Marquess of (Londonderry) Royds, Edmund
Bennett-Goldney, Francis Hardy, Laurence Rutherford. W. (Liverpool, W. Derby)
Bigland, Alfred Harris, Henry Percy Salter, Arthur Clavell
Bird, A. Henderson, Major H. (Berks, Abingdon) Sanders, Robert A.
Boscawen, Col. Sackville T. Griffith- Hickman, Colonel Thomas E. Sandys, G. J. (Somerset, Wells)
Boyton, J. Hill-Wood, Samuel Stanler, Beville
Burn, Colonel, C. R. Hope, Harry (Bute) Stanley, Hon. G. F. (Preston)
Campion, W. R. Hope, James Fitzalan (Sheffield) Steel-Maitland, A. D.
Carlile, Edward Hildred Horner, Andrew Long Stewart, Gershom
Cassel, Felix Houston, Robert Paterson Strauss, Arthur (Paddington, North
Castlereagh, Viscount Huma-Williams, William Ellis Swift, Rigby
Cautley, H. S. Joynson-Hicks, William Sykes, Alan John
Cave, George Kebty-Fletcher, J. R. Talbot, Lord Edmund
Chaloner, Colonel R. G. W. Kimber, Sir Henry Terrell, George (Wilts, N.W.)
Clive, Percy Archer Kirkwood, J. H. M. Valentia, Viscount
Clyde, J. Avon Lane-Fox, G. R. Ward, A. S. (Herts, Watford)
Craig, Norman (Kent, Thanet) Lamor, Sir J White, Major G. D. (Lanes, Southport)
Craik, Sir Henry Lee, Arthur Hamilton Willoughby, Major Hon. Claude
Crichton-Stuart, Lord Ninian Lansdale, John Brownlee Wood, John (Stalybridge)
Dalrymple, Viscount Mackinder, Halford J. Yate, Col. C. E.
Dickson, Rt. Hon. C. Scott Macmaster, Donald
Dixon, C. H. M'Calmont, colonel James TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr.
Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- Magnus, Sir Philip J. C. Lyttelton and Mr. J. S.
Du Cross, Arthur Philip Malcolm, Ian Fletcher.
The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

The next Amendment is on a matter that the Committee has already settled. I have received an Amendment in manuscript for the hon. Member for Central Sheffield (Mr. James Hope), which I think is contrary to the opinion already expressed by the Committee.

Colonel GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN

There is an Amendment on the Paper to leave out the word "under," and to insert instead thereof the words "in accordance with the provisions of." Has that been ruled out of order?

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

I think that is out of order, as it makes no difference to the Bill. Can the hon. Member show me any difference it would make.

Colonel GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN

As I understand, the certificate must be given in accordance with certain provisions of the Bill inserted in the Schedule—

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

That point has already been dealt with.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

The question is as to the correctness of the certificate and whether the House of Commons should be able to say whether this certificate is correct. All that has been decided is that the authority shall be the Speaker, but there has been no provision either in Clause 1 or Clause 2 that the Speaker shall not be subject to an appeal to the body of the House if he gives a wrong certificate

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

I do not think that is possible.

Mr. JAMES HOPE

It has not been put in the Bill that the decision of the Speaker on these points shall be final. Usually when there is to be no appeal words are added that the decision shall be final. Those words are not found, and therefore I submit that it has not been decided that there shall be no appeal from him.

The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN

That does not alter the case.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill."

Mr. CASSEL

My object in opposing this Clause is to elicit from the Government what the Clause really means, or what they think its effect will be. The Clause states that the certificate of the Speaker is to be conclusive in a court of law. Under what circumstances do the Government think the certificate will come before a court of law? I have before suggested that with regard to any Act passed tinder the provisions of this Bill the courts will require to be satisfied that the Bill in question has become an Act. All that the courts of law have recognised hitherto is an Act of Parliament, and what that is is clearly established. Blackstone says:— These are the constituent parts of Parliament, the King, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, parts each of which is so necessary that the consent of all three is required to make any new law that shall bind the subject. Whatever is enacted by one or two only of the three is no statute, and to it no regard is due unless in matters relating to their own privileges. 9.0 P.M.

That is the law as hitherto recognised. Now for the first time we are introducing a new method of legislation. Instead of legislating by Act of Parliament, we are going to legislate by Act of the House of Commons. Before a court of law will accept that an Act of the House of Commons has become an Act of Parliament under this Bill it will require to be satisfied that the conditions have been complied with; that is to say, that in the case of a Money Bill the Speaker has given his certificate, or, in the case of other Bills, that the other certificates necessary have been given. The Government themselves seem to contemplate that that will be so, because they say that the certificate is to be conclusive in a court of law. I wish to know under what circumstances the Government think the certificate will come before a court of law. In what form I Will the original certificate have to be produced, or is a copy to be sufficient? What is to be conclusive? The original certificate or a copy? The Attorney-General shakes his head, but I would invite him to explain the object of this Clause. Supposing a Revenue Bill is passed under the provisions of this measure; in every prosecution or proceeding under that so-called Act in order to convince the court that, it, had the force of law, you would have to produce the certificate of the Speaker. In that connection I would suggest that it would be better to endorse the certificate on the Bill, or to put it in the Bill in such a form that when the measure reached the courts there would be something on the face of it to show that the certificate had been given. This difficulty only shows the unsatisfactory character of this new-fangled legislation, but if you have a written Constitution all these difficulties must arise.

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

This Clause has been inserted out of superabundant caution lest in a court of law it should be possible to raise the questions suggested by the hon. and learned Member, which, according to him, would make it necessary to review in a court of justice all our proceedings in Parliament before effect could be given to an Act passed under the procedure of the Parliament Bill. Our object is to prescribe in the Bill that there shall be no question of the certificate of the Speaker going to a court of law, but that the Speaker's certificate shall be conclusive. The certificate has to accompany the Bill when it is presented to His Majesty for the Royal Assent. If the Parliament Bill becomes an Act of Parliament, and an Act passed under the procedure here laid down comes before the courts, I do not think the hon. Member will suggest that the courts will draw any distinction between an Act so passed and one passed under the usual procedure.

Mr. CASSEL

I do.

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

That only shows how necessary it is that we should have a Clause of this kind in the Bill. It is inserted exactly, because we feared that someone like the hon. and learned Gentleman and others would raise this point and bring it into court in order to make an Act passed under this procedure a kind of subordinate measure. We have no intention that there should be any difference between the two classes of measures. Therefore what we intend to do is to prevent any questioning of the sort. We have already said in Clauses 1 and 2 that under the circumstances there set out a Bill shall become an Act of Parliament notwithstanding that it has not received the Assent of the House of Lords. Having prescribed that, we have said that it is a Statute, that it has the force of statutory enactment; and then, in order that it should not be said when it gets to a court of law, "Oh, but we want to see whether this Bill has been through the House of Lords as well as through the House of Commons," we have said that the certificate of the Speaker shall be conclusive.

Then the hon. and learned Gentleman says what will happen then? He somewhat appalled me at the prospect of litigation which he seemed to see before us over this matter, but really he showed how wise we have been to introduce a Clause of this character. Under this what would happen now would be simply that in a court of law you would have the procedure as conclusive in relation to a Bill as under the ordinary procedure. The Bill will come before the Court of Justice, and the Court of Justice will accept it and will see that this Bill which has been passed, and to which the Royal Assent has been given—for I do not suppose that there will be any dispute that the Royal Assent has been given under conditions which justify it, and that the Royal Assent would only be given upon the certificate of the Speaker having accompanied the Bill when it was presented to His Majesty—is quite in order. When you once get as far as that there can be no further question as to the procedure. That is the whole object of introducing this Clause into the Bill. I do submit to the Committee that if there had been any doubt about the introduction of this Clause into the Bill it has been removed by what has fallen from the hon. and learned Gentleman. May I just further say this to him. He quoted "Blackstone" to us. No doubt that author is a very useful authority. The quotation takes us back to early days and to memories which ought indeed always to be fresh. But the hon. and learned Gentleman forgets that his quotation is not applicable to this. Here we are providing that notwithstanding we do not have the assent of the Lords, our Bill will become an Act of Parliament.

Mr. CASSEL

I was not suggesting the present Bill. I was pointing out that this Act would say that a Bill was to become an Act of Parliament although it was not an Act of Parliament.

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

If the quotation was not applicable to this Bill, I do not quite see the relevance of the illustration. We are all quite familiar, and quite rightly, as the hon. and learned Gentleman told us, with the fact that hitherto you have here had to have the assent of the Estates of the Realm before a Bill could become an Act of Parliament. This Parliament Bill provides that a Bill shall be an Act, which in certain instances has not been passed by the House of Lords. I would only add one word with reference to the further provision which the hon. and learned Gentleman suggested about endorsing the certificate of the Speaker on the Bill. I said last night that this was a matter for consideration, and it is still under consideration. There is a good deal to be said for placing it on the Bill. I do not follow the hon. and learned Member's view, which seemed to me that in a Bill would have to be presented to a court of justice, that it should actually be brought into the court, and that the certificate of the Speaker would have to accompany it before the court could give effect to it. That is to me a most novel suggestion for an Act of Parliament. The hon. and learned Gentleman, certainly the hon. and learned Baronet, will agree with me that that is not the way to prove that a Bill is a Statute—if it becomes necessary so to do. It is quite sufficient to say that you are dealing with a public Bill, which is something of which the judges are supposed to have cognisance, without having to produce the King's printer's copy. After all, that is where a Public Bill differs from a private Bill.

Mr. CASSEL

I agree if it has been passed by the three Estates of the realm.

Sir RUFUS ISAACS

I will not go back to the hon. and learned Member's argument. If he does not discern the difference between the two cases, I wonder that the hon. and learned Member takes the trouble to divide at all upon the questions which are now being discussed, or upon any of these matters. I do submit that there is every reason why this Clause should remain, as it is fully justified by the arguments which have been used.

Sir W. ANSON

I do not dispute for a moment the necessity for the new Clause. But I do complain, and what I think we have complained of, what my hon. and learned Friend had in view in his complaint on the preceding Amendment, is that the Clause is not sufficient having regard to the importance of the matter involved. The Attorney-General must not forget that there will be the two sorts of Acts of Parliament—the Act of Parliament which has received the assent of the Crown, Lords, and Commons, and the Act of Parliament which has received the assent of the Crown without the concurrence of the Lords or the Second Chamber. I only wish to point out to the Attorney-General this: I urged just now, in an Amendment, that it would be well for the dignity of the House, if for nothing else, that there should be some provision that the form of the Speaker's certificate should be deliberately settled by the House by Standing Order. The Attorney-General gave no adequate reason that I heard for rejecting that Amendment. What we have to bear in mind is this—that we shall hereafter present to the court for consideration and interpretation two perfectly different sorts of Statutes—Statutes which have received the assent of the three estates—Parliament, King's, Lords and Commons, and Statutes that have only received the assent of two. How are we to assist the court in case of dispute to know that an Act is an Act which must be accepted without question by the court? The obvious way in which we can deal with the matter would have been to have provided an enacting Clause which would have told the courts that although this Statute was not in the ordinary form—the form of a Statute it was nevertheless in a form which had been passed by the King, and the Commons under the Parliament Bill. I do not understand that there is any provision either present or contemplated for any form of enacting, Clause. Well, then, surely if there is to be no enacting Clause, it is right that the Speaker's certificate should be provided for properly by Standing Order? Otherwise, if the matter is wholly informal, we may have cases such as we have known before, of passive resistance. Legislation passed under Clause 1 may affect persons' pockets and legislation passed under Clause 2 may affect their status and the devolution of their property, and matters of the utmost importance to the subject. The question may arise, and people may say, "Here is an Act which has not received the assent of the Lords and Commons. Is it valid? Does it come under the provisions of the Parliament Bill?" What form is there to assure the judges that the Act is a statutory one and may be accepted by them, and not merely a document that may be interpreted as having some part of it overlooked, and which so may be overridden? If this Clause provided that the certificate of the Speaker should be-settled either in the Schedule, or under Standing Order in some clear form, I think the Government would have done well. Although I admit the necessity of this Clause, I lament the composition of it, and I think it would be much better to reject the whole Clause, and that the Government should then provide a new Clause to be brought up on Report stage that would give adequate assistance to. His Majesty's judges when a statute passed in this exceptional manner comes before them, as a guide for their decision in a manner more in accordance with the dignity of the House when dealing with the Crown and its relations with Parliament.

Mr. RIGBY SWIFT

This Clause is either quite unnecessary or totally incomplete to carry out the proposed object of the Government, and in either of these categories I submit it ought to be omitted from the Bill. An Act of Parliament with which this Clause deals is going to deal when it comes before the court will be in one of two positions. It is going to be an Act of Parliament which speaks for itself and requires no proof, or else it is to be an Act of Parliament which must be proved. I take it it is to be an Act of Parliament like Acts of Parliament we have at present, which require no proof. If that is the case, it is absolutely unnecessary to put in a Clause in this Bill to say that it shall not be disputed. The Clause of the Bill is a perfectly unnecessary Clause. The Attorney-General assents to the proposition that it is for guidance. It is over-cautious to the extent that it may give rise to a great deal of discussion and expense in the courts of law, and if he and the Government have the courage of their convictions, and really believe that this Clause is unnecessary, they are bound to save expense to the taxpayers in the future by avoiding any- thing which would encourage litigation in discussion as to what a totally unnecessary Clause may mean.

Suppose, on the other hand, that this Clause is necessary, and suppose that Acts of Parliament which become law under the provisions of this Bill have got to be proved in a court of law in some form in which Acts of Parliament at the present time do not have to be proved, and that you have to satisfy the judges that it has been properly passed into law, the first thing you will have to do is to prove that there has been a certificate given by the Speaker of this House before under this Bill. How are you going to prove that certificate in a court of law? Are you going to subpoena the Speaker of the House of Commons to attend before the King's Bench to prove the certificate, or are you going to call a Clerk of the House upon subpœna to prove he saw the Speaker sign it? [Laughter.] Hon. Members below the Gangway opposite laugh, but the position is really this, and it will not be denied that if an Act of Parliament does not prove itself by some means or other in accordance with the law, the certificate of the Speaker will have to be proved.

Mr. DILLON

Why do you not subpoena the King now?

Mr. SWIFT

Because at the present time we are not working under the provisions of this Bill.

Mr. DILLON

But an Act of Parliament must have the King's assent.

Mr. SWIFT

We are acting now under the provisions of the constitutional law, and my statement that an Act of Parliament proves itself has the assent of the

Attorney-General. We are now dealing with a class which has reference to Acts of Parliament which I am assuming for the purposes of my argument do not prove themselves. I pointed out if they prove themselves, this Clause is unnecessary; if they do not prove themselves you have provided no machinery whatever for proving them, and if the hon. Member below the Gangway would not keep shouting the same question after I had answered it twice, I should not be so much embarrassed in endeavouring to address what I believe to be a legal argument which has some legal point in it to a Committee which is singularly intolerant of any legal light being thrown upon this Bill, which certain Members of the House seem to regard as being inspired, not only in its draftsmanship, but also in its law. I was venturing to suggest that if it is necessary that Acts of Parliament passed into law under the provisions of this Bill, if this Bill ever becomes law have to be proved, you have provided under your Bill, no machinery whatever for proving them, and as no machinery for proving these Acts has been provided, this Clause as it stands is quite incomplete, and, therefore, it is in a position, I submit, of being either unnecessary or incomplete, and in either of these cases it does not deserve a place in this Parliament Bill.

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

rose in his place, and claimed to move, "That the Question be now put."

Question put, "That the Question be now put."

The Committee divided: Ayes, 248; Noes, 123.

Division No. 205.] AYES. [9.25 p.m.
Abraham, William (Dublin Harbour) Boyle, Daniel (Mayo, North Davies, Sir W. Howell (Bristol, S.)
Abraham, Rt. Hon. William (Rhondda) Brace, William Dawes, James Arthur
Acland, Francis Dyke Brady, Patrick Joseph Denman, Hon. Richard Douglas
Adamson, William Brigg, Sir John Devlin, Joseph
Addison, Dr. Christopher Brocklehurst, William B. Dillon, John
Alden, Percy Brunner, John F. L. Doris, William
Allen, Arthur A. (DumBarton) Burns, Rt. Hon. John Duncan, C. (Barrow-in-Furness)
Allen, Charles Peter (Stroud) Burt, Rt. Hon. Thomas Duncan, J. Hastings (York, Otley)
Baker, Harold T. (Accrington) Buxton, Noel (Norfolk, North Edwards, Allen C. (Glamorgan, E.)
Baker, Joseph Allen (Finsbury, E.) Byles, William Pollard Edwards, Enoch Hanley
Balfour, Sir Robert (Lanark) Carr-Gomm, H. W. Edwards, John Hugh (Glamorgan, Mid)
Barnes, George N. Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston S. Elibank, Rt. Hon. Master of
Barran, Sir John N. (Hawick B.) Clough, William Elverston, Harold
Barry, Redmond J. (Tyrone, N.) Collins, Godfrey P. (Greenock) Esmonde, Dr. John (Tipperary, N.)
Barton, William Collins, Stephen (Lambeth) Esmonde, Sir Thomas (Wexford, N.)
Beale, William Phipson Compton-Rickett, Sir J. Essex, Richard Walter
Beauchamp, Edward Condon, Thomas Joseph Fenwick, Charles
Beck, Arthur Cecil Corbett, A. Cameron (Glasgow) Ffrench, Peter
Benn, W. W. (Tower Hamlets, S. Geo.) Cornwall, Sir Edwin A. Field, William
Bentham, George Jackson Cotton, William Francis Fitzgibbon, John
Bethell, Sir John Henry Crawshay-Williams, Eliot Flavin, Michael Joseph
Black, Arthur W. Crooks, William Gelder, Sir William Alfred
Boland, John Pius Crumley, Patrick Gill, Alfred Henry
Booth, Frederick Handel Cuillnan, John Goddard, Sir Daniel Ford
Bowerman, Charles W. Davies, Ellis William (Eifien) Goldstone, Frank
Greig, Colonel J. W. Maclean, Donald Robinson, Sydney
Griffith, Ellis Jones (Anglesey) Macnamara, Dr. Thomas J. Roche, Augustine (Louth)
Guest, Hon. Frederick E. (Dorset, E.) Mac Neill, John Gordon Swift Roche, John (Galway, E.)
Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (Galway) MacVeagh, Jeremiah Rowntree, Arnold
Hackett, John M'Callum, John M. Samuel, Rt. Hon. H. L. (Cleveland)
Hall, Frederick (Normanton) M'Curdy, Charles Albert Samuel, J. (Stockton-on-Tees)
Hancock, John George M'Micking, Major Gilbert Samuel, S. M. (Whitechapel)
Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose) Marks, George Croydon Scanlan, Thomas
Hardie, J. Keir (Merthyr Tydvil) Meagher, Michael Schwann, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles E.
Harvey, A. G. C. (Rochdale) Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.) Seely, Cal. Rt. Hon. J. E. B.
Harvey, W. E. (Derbyshire, N.E.) Meehan, Patrick A. (Queen's Co.) Sheehy, David
Harwood, George Menzies, Sir Walter Sherwell, Arthur James
Haslam, James (Derbyshire) Millar, James Duncan Simon, Sir John Allsebrook
Havelock-Allan, Sir Henry Molloy, Michael Smith, Albert (Lancs., Clitheroe)
Haworth, Arthur A. Molteno, Percy Alport Smith, H. B. L. (Northampton)
Hayden, John Patrick Money, L. G. Chiozza Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim)
Hayward, Evan Morton, Alpheus Cleophas Snowden, Philip
Helme, Norval Watson Munro, Robert Spicer, Sir Albert
Henderson, Arthur (Durham) Munro-Ferguson, Rt. Hon. R. C. Stanley, Albert (Staffs, N.W.)
Henry, Sir Charles Nannetti, Joseph P. Strachey, Sir Edward
Herbert, Colenel Sir Ivor (Mon. S.) Needham, Christopher T. Summers, James Woolley
Higham, John Sharp Neilson, Francis Sutton, John E.
Hinds, John Nicholson, Charles N. (Doncaster) Taylor, John W. (Durham)
Hodge, John Nolan, Joseph Taylor, Theodore C. (Radcliffe)
Halt, Richard Durning Norman, Sir Henry Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton)
Horne. C. Silvester (Ipswich) Norton, Captain Cecil W. Thorne, William (West Ham)
Howard, Hon. Geoffrey O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny) Toulmin, George
Hughes, Spencer Leigh O'Connor, John (Kildare, N.) Ure, Rt. Hon. Alexander
Hunter, William (Lanark, Govan) O'Doherty, Philip Verney, Sir Harry
Isaacs, Sir Rufus Daniel O'Dowd, John Walsh, Stephen (Lancs., Ince)
John, Edward Thomas Ogden, Fred Ward, John (Stoke-upon-Trent)
Johnson, William O'Grady, James Ward, W. Dudley (Southampton)
Jones, Edgar R. (Merthyr Tydvil) O'Kelly, Edward P. (Wicklow, W.) Wardle, George J.
Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) O'Kelly, James (Roscommon, N.) Warner, Sir Thomas Courtenay
Jones, Leif Stratten (Notts, Rushcliffe) O'Malley, William Watt, Henry A.
Jones, William (Carnarvonshire) O'Neill, Dr. Charles (Armagh, S.) Webb, H.
Jones. W. S. Glyn- (T. H'mts, Stepney) O'Shaughnessy, P. J. Wedgwood, Josiah C.
Jewett, Frederick William O'Sullivan, Timothy White, Sir Luke (Yorks, E.R.)
Joyce, Michael Parker, James (Halifax) White. Patrick (Meath, North
Keating, Matthew Pearce, William (Limehouse) Whitehouse, John Howard
Kellaway, Frederick George Pearson, Hon. Weetman H. M. Whittaker, Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas P.
Kelly, Edward Phillips, John (Longford, S.) Whyte, A. F. (Perth)
Kennedy, Vincent Paul Pickersgill, Edward Hare Wiles, Thomas
Kilbride, Denis Pointer, Joseph Wilkie, Alexander
King, J. (Somerset, N.) Pollard, Sir George H. Williams, John (Glamorgan)
Lamb, Ernect Henry Ponsonby, Arthur A. W. H. Williams, Llewelyn (Carmarthen)
Lambert, Richard (Wilts, Cricklade) Priestley, Sir W. E. B. (Bradford, E.) Williams, Penry (Middlesbrough)
Lansbury, George Pringle, William M. R. Wilson, Hon. G. G. (Hull, W.)
Law, Hugh A. (Donegal, W.) Radford, George Heynes Wilson, John (Durham, Mid.)
Lawson, Sir W. (Cumb'rld, Cockerm'th) Rea, Rt. Hon. Russell (South Shields) Wilson, J. W. (Worcestershire, N.)
Leach, Charles Reddy, Michael Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton)
Levy, Sir Maurice Redmond, John E. (Waterford) Winfrey, Richard
Lewis, John Herbert Redmond, William (Clare, E.) Wood, T. M'Kinnon (Glasgow)
Logan. John William Richards, Thomas Young, Samuel (Cavan, East)
Low, Sir Frederick (Norwich) Richardson, Thomas (Whitehaven) Young, William (Perth, East)
Landon, Thomas Roberts, Charles H. (Lincoln)
Lynch, Arthur Alfred Roberts, George H. (Norwich) TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Mr.
Macdonald, J. R. (Leicester) Robertson, Sir G. Scott (Bradford) Illingworth and Mr. Gulland.
Macdonald, J. M. (Falkirk Burghs) Robertson, John M. (Tyneside)
NOES.
Acland-Hood, Rt. Hon. Sir Alex. Cassel, Felix Foster, Philip Staveley
Altken, William Max. Castlereagh, Viscount Gardner, Ernest
Anson, Sir William Reynell Cautley, Henry Strother Gibbs, G. A.
Ashley, Wilfrid W. Cave, George Goldsmith, Frank
Astor, Waldorf Cecil, Lord Hugh (Oxford University) Goulding, Edward Alfred
Baker, Sir Randall L. (Dorset, N.) Chaloner, Col. R. G. W. Guinness, Hon. Walter Edward
Balcarres, Lord Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. J. A. (Worc'r) Haddock, George Bahr
Baldwin, Stanley Clive, Captain Percy Archer Hall, D. B. (Isle of Wight)
Baring, Capt. Hon. G. V. Clyde, James Avon Hall, Fred (Dulwich)
Barlow, Montague (Salford, South) Craig, Norman (Kent, Thanet) Hambro, Angus Valdemar
Barnston, Harry Craik, Sir Henry Hamilton, Marquess of (Londonderry)
Bathurst, Hon. Allen B. (Glouc., E.) Crichton-Stuart, Lord Ninian Hardy, Laurence (Kent, Ashford)
Bathurst, Charles (Wilton) Dalrymple, Viscount Harris, Henry Percy
Benn, Ion Hamilton (Greenwich) Dickson, Rt. Hon. C S. Hickman, Colonel Thomas E.
Bennett-Goldney, Francis Dixon, C. H. Hill-Wood, Samuel
Bigland, Alfred Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- Hoare, Samuel John Gurney
Bird, Alfred Du Cros, Arthur Philip Hope, Harry (Bute)
Boyton, James Duke, Henry Edward Hope, James Fitzalan (Sheffield)
Bridgeman, William Clive Eyres-Monsell, Bolton M. Horner, Andrew Long
Burn, Colonel C. E. Faber, Capt. W. V. (Hants, W.) Houston, Robert Paterson
Butcher, John George Fell, Arthur Hume-Williams, William Ellis
Campion, W. R. Fletcher, John Samuel (Hampstead) Joynson-Hicks, William
Carlile, Edward Hildred Forster, Henry William Kebty-Fletcher, J. R.
Kimber, Sir Henry Paget, Almeria Hugh Stewart, Gershom
Kirkwood, John H. M. Palmer, Godfrey Mark Strauss, Arthur (Paddington, North
Lane-Fox, G. R. Parkes, Ebenezer Swift, Rigby
Larmor, Sir J. Pease, Herbert Pike (Darlington) Sykes, Alan John
Lee, Arthur Hamilton Peel, Hon. William R. W. (Taunton) Talbot, Lord Edmund
Locker-Lampson, O. (Ramsey) Perkins, Walter Frank Terrell, George (Wilts, N.W.)
Lockwood, Rt. Hon. Lt.-Col. A. R. Pollock, Ernest Murray Thomson, Wm. Mitchell (Down, N.)
Long, Rt. Hon. Walter Pretyman, Ernest George Valentia, Viscount
Lonsdale, John Brownlee Pryce-Jones, Col. E. (Montgom'y B'ghs) Walker, Col. William Hall
Lyttelton, Hon. J. C. (Droitwich) Rawson, Col. Richard H. Ward, A. S. (Herts, Watford)
Mackinder, Halford J. Roberts, S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall) Wheler, Granville C. H.
Macmaster, Donald Royds, Edmund White, Major G. D. (Lancs., Southport)
M'Calmont, Colonel James Rutherford, Watson (L'pool, W. Derby) Willoughby, Major Mon. Claude
Magnus, Sir Philip Salter, Arthur Clavell Wood, Hon. E. F. L. (Yorks, Ripon)
Malcolm, Ian Sanders, Robert Arthur Wood, John (Stalybridge)
Mason, James F. (Windsor) Sandys, G. J. (Somerset, Wells) Yate, Colonel C. E.
Meysey-Thompson, E. C. Stanler, Beville
Mildmay, Francis Bingham Stanley, Hon. G. F. (Preston) TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Colonel
Newman, John R. P. Steel-Maitland, A. D. Griffith-Boscawen and Sir F. Banbury.
O'Neill, Hon. A. E. B. (Antrim, Mid)

Question put accordingly, "That the Clause stand part of the Bill."

The Committee divided: Ayes, 255; Noes, 132.

Division No. 206.] AYES. [9.35 p.m.
Abraham, William (Dublin Harbour) Duncan, C. (Barrow-in-Furness) Keating, Matthew
Abraham, Rt. Hon. William (Rhondda) Duncan, J. Hastings (York, Otley) Kellaway, Frederick George
Acland, Francis Dyke Edwards, Allen C. (Glamorgan, E.) Kelly, Edward
Adamson, William Edwards, Enoch (Hanley) Kennedy, Vincent Paul
Addison, Dr. Christopher Edwards, John Hugh (Glamorgan, Mid) Klibride, Denis
Alden, Percy Elibank, Rt. Hon. Master of King, Joseph (Somerset, North
Allen, Arthur A. (DumBarton) Elverston, Harold Lamb, Ernest H.
Allen, Charles Peter (Stroud) Esmonde, Dr John (Tipperary, N.) Lambert, Richard (Wilts, Cri[...]ladey
Baker, Harold T. (Accrington) Esmonde, Sir Thomas (Wexford, N.) Lansbury, George
Baker, Joseph A. (Finsbury, E.) Essex, Richard Walter Law, Hugh A. (Donegal, West)
Balfour, Sir Robert (Lanark) Fenwick, Charles Lawson, Sir W. (Cumb'rl'nd,Cockerm'th)
Barnes, George N. Ffrench, Peter Leach, Charles
Barran, Sir John N. (Hawick B.) Field, William Levy, Sir Maurice
Barry, Redmond John (Tyrone, N.) Fitzgibbon, John Lewis, John Herbert
Barton, William Flavin, Michael Joseph Logan, John William
Beale, William Phipson Gelder, Sir William Alfred Low, Sir Frederick (Norwich)
Beauchamp, Edward Gill, Alfred Henry Lundon, Thomas
Beck, Arthur Cecil Goddard, Sir Daniel Ford Lynch, Arthur Alfred
Been, W. (T. Hamlets, St. George) Goldstone, Frank Macdonald, J. R. (Leicester)
Bentham, George Jackson Greig, Colonel James William Macdonald, J. M. (Falkirk Burghs)
Bethell, Sir John Henry Griffith, Ellis Jones Maclean, Donald
Black, Arthur W. Guest, Hon. Frederick E. (Dorset, E.) Macnarnara, Dr. Thomas J.
Boland, John Pius Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (Galway) MacNeill, John Gordon Swift
Booth, Frederick Handel Hackett, John MacVeagh, Jeremiah
Bowerman, Charles W. Hall, F. (Yorks, Normanton) M'Callum, John M.
Boyle, Daniel (Mayo, North Hancock, John George M'Curdy, Charles Albert
Brace, William Harcourt, Robert V. (Montrose) M'Micking, Major Gilbert
Brady, Patrick Joseph Hardie, J. Kelr (Merthyr Tydvil) Marks, George Croydon
Brigg, Sir John Harvey, A. G. C. (Rochdale) Masterman, C. F. G.
Brocklehurst, William B. Harvey, W. E. (Derbyshire, N.E.) Meagher, Michael
Brunner, John F. L. Harwood, George Meehan, Francis E. (Leitrim, N.)
Burns. Rt. Hon. John Haslam, James (Derbyshire) Meehan, Patrick A. (Queen's County)
Burt, Rt. Hon. Thomas Havelock-Allan, Sir Henry Menzies, Sir Walter
Buxton, Noel (Norfolk, North Haworth, Arthur A Millar, James Duncan
Buxton, Rt. Hon. S. C. (Poplar) Hayden, John Patrick Molloy, Michael
Byles, William Pollard Hayward, Evan Moiteno, Percy AlpeRt
Carr-Gomm, H. W. Helme, Norval Watson Money, L. G. Chiozza
Chapple, Dr. William Allen Henderson, Arthur (Durham) Morton, Alpheus Cleophas
Churchill, Rt. Hon. Winston S. Henry, Sir Charles Solomon Munro, Robert
Clough, William Herbert, Col. Sir Ivor Munro-Ferguson, Rt. Hon. R. C.
Collins, Godfrey P. (Greenock) Higham, John Sharp Nannetti, Joseph P.
Collins, Stephen (Lambeth) Hinds, John Needham, Christopher T.
Compton-Rickett, Rt. Hon. Sir J. Hodge, John Neilson, Francis
Condon, Thomas Joseph Holt, Richard Durning Nicholson, Charles N. (Doncaster)
Corbett, A. Cameron (Glasgow) Horne, C. Slivester (Ipswich) Nolan, Joseph
Cornwall, Sir Edwin A. Howard, Hon. Geoffrey Norman, Sir Henry
Cotton, William Francis Hughes, Spencer Leigh Norton, Capt. Cecil William
Crawshay-Williams, Eliot Hunter, William (Lanark, Govan) O'Brien, Patrick (Kilkenny)
Crooks, William Isaacs, Sir Rufus Daniel O'Connor, John (Kildare, N.)
Crumley, Patrick John, Edward Thomas O'Doherty, Phllip
Cullinan, J. Johnson, William O'Dewd, John
Davies, E. William (Eiflon) Jones, Edgar (Merthyr Tydvil) Ogden, Fred
Davies, Sir W. Howell (Bristol, S.) Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) O'Grady, James
Dawes. James Arthur Jones, Leif Stratten (Notts, Rushcliffe) O'Kelly, Edward P. (Wicklow, W.)
Denman, Hon. Richard Douglas Jones, William (Carnarvonshire) O'Kelly, James (Roscommon, N.)
Devlin, Joseph Jones, W. S. Glyn- (T. H'mts.,stepney) O'Malley, William
Dillon, John Jewett, Frederick William O'Neill, Dr. Charles (Armagh, S.)
Doris, William Joyce, Michael O'shaughnessy, P. J.
O'Sullivan, Timothy Rowntree, Arnold Ward, John (Stoke-upon-Trent)
Parker, James (Halifax) Samuel, Rt. Hon. H. L. (Cleveland) Ward, W. Dudley (Southampton)
Pearce, William (Limehouse) Samuel, J. (Stockton-on-Tees) Wardle, George J.
Pearson, Hon. Weetman H. M. Samuel, S. M. (Whltechapel) Warner, Sir Thomas Courtenay
Philipps, John (Longford, S.) Scanlan, Thomas Watt, Henry A.
Pickersgill, Edward Hare Schwann, Rt. Hon. Sir Charles E. Webb, H.
Pointer, Joseph Scott, A. M'Callum (Glas., Bridgeton) Wedgwood, Josiah C.
Pollard, Sir George H. Seely, Col. Rt. Hon. J. E. B. White, Sir Luke (Yorks, E.R.)
Ponsonby, Arthur A. W. H. Sheehy, David White, Patrick (Meath, North
Priestley, Sir W. E. B. (Bradford, E.) Sherwell, Arthur James Whitehouse, John Howard
Pringle, William M. R. Simon, Sir John Allsbrook Whittaker, Rt. Hon. Sir Thomas P.
Radford, George Heynes Smith, Albert (Lancs., ICitheroe) Whyte, A. F.
Rea, Rt. Hon. Russell (South Shields) Smith, H. B. Lees (Northampton) Wiles, Thomas
Reddy, Michael Smyth, Thomas F. (Leitrim, S.) Wilkie, Alexander
Redmond, John E. (Waterford) Snowden, Philip Williams, John (Glamorgan)
Redmond, William (Clare, E.) Spicer, Sir Albert Williams, Llewelyn (Carmarthen)
Richards, Thomas Stanley, Albert (Staffs, N.W.) Williams, Penry (Middlesbrough)
Richardson, Thomas (Whitehaven) Strachey, Sir Edward Wilson, Hon. G. G. (Hull, W.)
Roberts, Charles H. (Lincoln) Summers, James Woolley Wilson, John (Durham, Mid.)
Roberts, George H. (Norwich) Sutton, John E. Wilson, J. W. (Worcestershire, N.)
Roberts, Sir J. H. (Denbighs.) Taylor, John W. (Durham) Wilson, W. T. (Westhoughton)
Robertson, Sir G. Scott (Bradford) Taylor, Theodore C. (Radcliffe) Winfrey, Richard
Robertson, John M. (Tyneside) Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton) Wood, T. McKinnon (Glasgow)
Robinson, Sidney Thorne, William (West Ham) Young, Samuel (Cavan, East)
Roche, Augustine (Louth) Toulmin, George Young, William (Perth, East)
Roche, John (Galway, E.) Ure, Rt. Hon. Alexander
Roe, Sir Thomas Verney, Sir Parry TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Mr.
Rose, Sir Charles Day Walsh, Stephen (Lancs., Ince) Illingworth and Mr Gulland.
NOES.
Acland-Hood, Rt. Hon. Sir Alex. F. Fell, Arthur Magnus, Sir Philip
Altken, William Max. Fletcher, John Samuel Malcolm, Ian
Anson, Sir William Reynell Forster Henry William Mason, James F. (Windsor)
Arkwright, John Stanhope Foster, Philip Staveley Meysey-Thompson, E. C.
Ashley, Wilfred W. Gardner, Ernest Mildmay, Francis Bingham
Astor, Waldorf Gibbs, George Abraham Mount, William Arthur
Baker, Sir Randolf L. (Dorset, N.) Gilmour, Captain John Newman, John R. P.
Balcarres, Lord Goldsmith, Frank O'Neill, Hon. A. E. B. (Antrim, Mid)
Baldwin, Stanley Grant, James Augustus Orde-Pawlett, Hon. W. G. A.
Banbury, Sir Frederick George Guinness, Hon. Walter Edward Paget, Almeric Hugh
Baring, Captain Hon. Guy Victor Haddock, George Bahr Parkes, Ebenezer
Barlow, Montague (Salford, South) Hall, D. B. (Isle of Wight) Pease, Herbert Pike (Darlington)
Sarnston, Harry Hall, Fred (Dulwich) Pell, Hon. William R. W. (Taunton)
Bathurst, Hon. Allen B. (Glouc., E.) Hambro, Angus Valdemar Perkins, Walter Frank
Bathurst, Charles (Wilts, Wilton) Hamilton, Marquess of (Londonderry) Pollock, Ernest Murray
Been, Ion Hamilton (Greenwich) Hardy, Laurence (Kent, Ashford) Pretyman, Ernest George
Bennett-Goldney, Francis Harris, Henry Percy Pryce-Jones, Colonel E.
Bigland, Alfred Hickman, Colonel Thomas E. Rawson, Colonel Richard H.
Bird, Alfred Hill, Sir Clement L. (Shrewsbury) Roberts, S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall)
Boscawen, Col. Sackville T. Griffith- Hillier, Dr. Alfred Peter Royds, Edmund
Boyton, James Hill-Wood, S. (High Peak) Rutherford, W. (Liverpool, W. Derby)
Bridgeman, William Clive Hoare, Samuel John Gurney Salter, Arthur Clavell
Burn, Colonel C. R. Hohler, Gerald Fitzroy Sandys, G. J. (Somerset, Wells)
Butcher, John George (York) Hope, Harry (Bute) Stanler, Beville
Campion, W. R. Hope, J. Fitzalan (Sheffield) Stanley, Hon. G. F. (Preston)
Carllie, Edward Hildred Horner, Andrew Long Steel-Maitland, A. D
Cassel, Felix Houston, Robert Paterson Stewart, Gershom
Castlereagh, Viscount Hume-Williams, Wm. Ellis Strauss, Arthur (Paddington, North
Cautley, Henry Strother Hunter, Sir Charles Rodk, (Bath) Swift, Rigby
Cave, George Ingleby, Holcombe Sykes, Alan John
Cecil, Lord Hugh (Oxford University) Joynson-Hicks, William Talbot, Lord Edmund
Chaloner, Col. R, G. W. Kebty-Fletcher, J. R. Terrell, George (Wilts, N.W.)
Clive, Percy Archer Kimber, Sir Henry Thomson, W. Mitchell- (Down, N.)
Clyde, James Avon Kirkwood, John H. M. Walker, Col. William Hall
Craig, Norman (Kent, Thanet) Lane-Fox, G. R Ward, A. S. (Herta, Watford)
Craik, Sir Henry Larmor, Sir J. Wheler, Granville C. H.
Crichton-Stuart, Lord Ninian Lee, Arthur Hamilton White, Major G. D. (Lancs., Southport)
Dalrymple, Viscount Locker-Lampson, O. (Ramsey) Willoughby, Major Hon. Claud
Dickson, Rt. Hon. C. S. Lockwood, Rt. Hon. Lt.-Col. A. R. Wood. Hon. E. F. L. (Yorks, Ripon)
Dixon, Charles Harvey Long, Rt. Hon. Walter Wood, John (Stalybridge)
Douglas, Rt. Hon. A. Akers- Lansdale, John Brownlee Worthington-Evans, L.
Du Cros, Arthur Philip Lyttelton, Hon. J. C. (Droitwich) Yate, Col. C. E.
Duke, Henry Edward Mackinder, Halford J.
Eyres-Monsell, Bolton M. Macmaster, Donald TELLERS FOR THE NOES—Viscount
Faber, Capt. W. V. (Hants, W.) M'Calmont, Colonel James Valentia and Mr. Sanders.