HC Deb 19 December 1916 vol 88 cc1408-9

(1) The office of a Minister appointed under this Act, or of Secretary in a Ministry established under this Act, shall not render the holder thereof incapable of being elected to, or sitting or voting as a member of, the Commons House of Parliament, but not more than two Secretaries in each Ministry shall sit as members of that House at the same time.

(2) The office of a Minister appointed under this Act shall be deemed to be an office included in Schedule H. of the Re-presentation of the People Act, 1867, and Schedule H. of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Act, 1868, and Schedule E. of the Representation of the People (Ireland) Act, 1868.

(3) A Minister appointed under this Act shall take oath of allegiance and official oath, and shall be deemed to be included in the First Part of the Schedule to the-Promissory Oaths Act, 1868.

Mr. McKENNA

I beg to move, in Subsection (1), after the word "than"["more than two Secretaries"], to leave out the words "two Secretaries," and insert instead thereof the words "one Secretary"

I rather understood from the speech of my right hon. Friend that he was favourable to the Amendment. In the formation of these new offices there should be some limitation upon the number of paid secretaries. You might have one paid secretary in each of these offices, and two-or three or more paid Secretaries in another place. I think when we are spending money as fast as we are now we ought to have some regard to economy. I am quite sure that the Government do not intend to do these things, but it gives a bad appearance if the House, without inquiry, really gives in a certain form unlimited power to appoint Parliamentary Secretaries, either in the House or in the other House. I think the Amendment I have suggested to my right hon. Friend is appropriate, in order to give the limitation which is asked.

Sir G. CAVE

The Amendment represents exactly what we propose to do, but my difficulty in putting these words into the Clause is that they are rather inconsistent with Clause 7, Sub-section (1), which removes or suspends the limit on the number of Parliamentary Under-Secretaries. My own view is that it would be more consistent to omit altogether these two lines, "but not more than two Secretaries in each Ministry shall sit as Members of this House at the same time. "If my right hon. Friend will not press his Amendment to-day, I will consider the matter before to-morrow, and either omit those lines or make some other Amendment.

Mr. McKENNA

I readily agree to that, and on the Report stage I will raise the matter again, or my right hon. Friend can put down proper words to limit the number of paid Parliamentary Secretaries to one each in either House.

Sir G. CAVE

I will consider it, and see how it can be dealt with.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill. Remaining Clauses ordered to stand part of the Bill.