§ Every Order in Council made under this Act, other than an Order in Council under Section one, shall be laid before each House of Parliament forthwith, and if an Address is presented to His Majesty by either House of Parliament, within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat next after the Order is laid before it, praying that the Order may be annulled, His Majesty in Council may annul the Order, and it shall thenceforth be void, but without prejudice to the validity of anything (done thereunder.—[Mr. King.]
§ Brought up, and read the first time.
§ Mr. KINGI beg to move, "That the Clause be read a second time."
The Government has already given a concession on the lines of this new Clause in regard to Section 1 raising the age to fifty-six, a Resolution for which will have to be submitted to both Houses of Parliament, and that concession I ask for in connection with each Order in Council that may be made under this Act. I do not ask it as a preliminary to the making of the Order in Council, as may be done under Section 1. I only ask that the control of Parliament shall be retained in connection with executive acts performed by Orders in Council to this extent, that when an Order in Council is made it shall be laid before Parliament forthwith, and for twenty-one days after the Order in Council is made it would be open for an Address to be voted by either House of Parliament which would have the effect of annulling the Order in Council. Even if so annulled, any act done under the Order in Council would not be void, and would not prejudice the validity of anything which had been effected thereby. This Clause is taken from the National Register (Amendment) Act, which we only passed three months ago. It was inserted in that Act, I believe, at my suggestion. 165 I have copied the exact terms and the words proposed by the Government itself in connection with submitting to Parliament Orders in Council under the Statute. I hope that the previous action of the Government, and I think I may say the obvious moderation of the request here put forward, will so commend itself to the Government that they may accept it.
§ Sir G. CAVEI should like to consult my colleagues, so perhaps the hon. Gentleman would put down his Amendment for Report.
§ Mr. HOLTMay I point out that the Clause must include Regulations as well as the Order in Council. I understand that an Amendment has been accepted by the Government to Clause 4 substituting Regulations by the Local Government Board for the Order in Council. If this Amendment is not going to cover Regulations by the Local Government Board as well as the Order in Council, we fall a long way short of my hon. Friend as well to myself here with regard to this Amendment. I venture to hope the Government will not lose sight of the necessity for including Regulations as well as Orders in Council in this Clause.
§ Mr. KINGI thank my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham for what he has just said. I will alter the Clause before putting it down to-morrow to include Regulations under Section 4. With that intimation I ask leave to withdraw.
§ Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.