§ 26. Sir C. HENRYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Instructions will be issued to the Commissioners who will be appointed to frame a scheme by which a certain number of members should be elected upon the principle of proportional representation, that the Commissioners shall report upon any modifications in j registration that may be necessary, and also, in the case of those constituencies which may be selected for proportional representation, the course to be adopted when by-elections may be necessary?
§ Sir G. CAVENo Instructions will be given to the Commissioners other than those contained in the Act. The answer to the remaining parts of the question is in the negative.
§ Sir C. HENRYWill my right hon. Friend proceed with this scheme without offering the House the opportunity of considering them?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe House will have an opportunity before the scheme comes into operation.
§ 28. Mr. BURDETT-COUTTSasked the Home Secretary whether he is now in a position to announce the names of the Commissioners appointed to prepare a scheme for the application of proportional representation to 100 constituencies; and whether the Instructions to them will be laid upon the Table of the House and an opportunity afforded the House of discussing the same?
§ Sir G. CAVEHis Majesty has been pleased to appoint the following to be Commissioners for this purpose:
Mr. Speaker, who- will act as Chairman;
Lord Dundas;
Sir Thomas Elliott;
Sir Samuel Provis; and
Sir Walter Jerred.
The Warrant appointing the Commissioners will be gazetted shortly. No instructions will be given to the Commissioners other than those which are contained in the Act itself.
§ Mr. BURDETT-COUTTSArising out of the last item of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, I beg to ask him whether he is not aware that there are many 908 matters of great importance which are left in entire obscurity in the terms of the Amendment, matters concerning the assent of constituencies before proportional representation is imposed upon them—a matter to which the right hon. Gentleman will admit he himself is deeply pledged; and whether this House can reasonably be asked to part with this control over the exercise of its powers to a Commission?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am not aware of any obscurity in the Statute The point put by my hon. Friend is one that might have been raised in the discussions on the Clause.