HC Deb 15 December 1919 vol 123 cc46-7
Sir F. HALL (by Private Notice)

asked the Minister of Transport whether. Mr. II. B. Wodehouse, engineer and manager of the Yorkshire Electric Power Company, is to be one of the Commissioners under the Electricity Bill, and, in view of the fact that it will come into operation in a few days' time, will he give the names of all the Commissioners appointed?

Mr. NEAL

I have not had an opportunity since the receipt of the question of consulting the Minister of Transport, but it would be an extraordinary course to adopt to give official propagation to the names of the Commissioners under a Statute which has not yet passed in another place, and therefore is not operative.

Sir F. HALL

Will the hon. Gentleman say whether Mr. Wodehouse has or has not been appointed one of the Commissioners?

Mr. NEAL

I am sorry I did not make my answer sufficiently clear. I have no information on the point, and if I had, I do not think it would be right for me to express it.

Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSON

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that more than once this House has insisted, before it parts with a Bill, that the names of the Commissioners should be inserted on the face of the Bill?

Sir F. HALL

May I press the hon. Gentleman for a reply?

Mr. SPEAKER

If the matter is so important, the hon. and gallant Gentleman should put it down. He only handed it in at the last moment to the Under-Secretary.

Sir F. HALL

It was only because this is really the last day on which we shall have an opportunity of asking these questions except by private notice.

Mr. SPEAKER

To-day is Monday. We have the rest of the week.