HC Deb 17 February 1914 vol 58 c775
Mr. SWIFT MacNEILL

I beg to ask the Prime Minister a question of which I have given him private notice: Whether, having regard to the fact that by a judicial decision pronounced yesterday, an hon. Member of this House (Sir Stuart Samuel) has been mulcted in a sum of £13,000 at the suit of a common informer for having sat and voted in this House while a member of a private company having a contract with the Government, of which he knew nothing; whereas shareholders and directors of incorporate trading companies contracting with the Government in their corporate capacity are not affected if Members of this House, in their Parliamentary status, the Government will consider the advisability of taking steps for the abolition of this great anomaly?

The PRIME MINISTER

I have only just received notice of the question, and the hon. Member had better put it down on the Paper.