§ Mr. LOUGHMay I ask you, Mr. Speaker, whether a large number of Amendments to the Finance Bill having been sent in on Friday or on Monday do not appear on the Paper, and whether you can see your way to allow Amendments sent in in this way to appear on the Paper in the same way as questions do at the present time?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI was not aware that any Amendments had been sent in. I do not see how any could have been sent in as the Office was closed, as far as Amendments are concerned. There is no rule on the point. The right hon. Gentleman will remember that with regard to questions sent in the House passed an Order that they should appear on the Paper, but there was no Order with regard to Amendments. Therefore Amendments could not be received, and hence they could not appear on the Paper.
§ Mr. BOOTHMay I ask you for guidance with regard to postponed questions? You did not call on those of us who had addressed questions to the Prime Minister, having doubtless received notice as we did. May I ask whether you can see your way to give us any instructions with regard to putting those questions—whether, if in our view they can be answered by some other Member of the Government, we should address them to the Minister of Munitions, say, or some other Minister, or what guidance you can give us?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI cannot say how long the Prime Minister will be away. I hope it will be only a short time. He is unwell, therefore he is not able to be here to-day.
§ Mr. LOUGHMay I ask the Minister of Munitions or the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he would kindly facilitate Amendments sent in during these short sittings of the House, so that Amendments sent in on Friday or Monday could appear on the Paper on Tuesday just as if the House had been sitting on those days?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. McKennaIt is not in my power to give any facilities of that kind. It is perfectly open to the right hon. Gentleman to move an Amendment whether it appears on the Paper or not.
§ Sir G. YOUNGERSurely the right hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well that the House detests manuscript Amendments; it is a convenience to everybody that they should appear on the Paper.
§ Mr. McKENNAI quite agree, but I do not know how I can interfere in the matter.
§ Mr. LOUGHDoes not the right hon. Gentleman see that if the Government would kindly facilitate such an arrangement as we already have with regard to questions it would entirely meet the difficulty?
§ Mr. McKENNAI do not think it is a matter for the Government; it is one for the authorities of the House.
§ Mr. R. McNEILLThe convenient arrangement by which we are now allowed to give notice of questions for Tuesday was a concession granted by the Prime Minister in response to a question which I myself put. Could not the same convenience be extended by the leader of the House with regard to Amendments?
§ Mr. McKENNAI will consider the point, but I rather think it would require an amendment of the Standing Order.
§ Mr. SPEAKERPerhaps I ought to say that the manuscript Amendments have been now examined, but there are only one or two of a trifling character relating to the earlier Clauses of the Finance Bill.