HC Deb 29 October 1919 vol 120 cc671-3
Lord R. CECIL

Might I ask you, Sir, in reference to the Motion my right hon. Friend is about to move, which of the Amendments you propose to take first and whether the decision on the one Amendment will exclude any other?

Mr. SPEAKER

What I would venture to suggest to the House as the best course to pursue would be to give a general discussion to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Resolution and after the general discussion has been going on some little time I propose to call an Amendment, of which I have a manuscript copy, which has been handed to me by the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Labour party in substitution for the Amendment already standing in his name on the Paper.

Lord R. CECIL

The procedure on these matters differs a little in my recollection. Sometimes more than one Amendment is allowed and sometimes only one is allowed. Is this a Motion on which other Amendments beside that of my right hon. Friend will be in order, or will the decision on his Amendment preclude anyone else from moving any Amendment?

Mr. SPEAKER

I apologise to the Noble Lord. I forgot to reply to that part. It is not customary to "save" Amendments—putting only a certain number of words of the Resolution in order to save an Amendment. But there would be no objection, supposing the‡first Amendment is disposed of, to move other Amendments which will come as an addition at the end.

Mr. BILLING

If there be a substantial indication of Members wishing to take part in the general Debate to-day would it be possible to take the general discussion to-day and to keep Amendments till to-morrow? Also in the event of any hon. Member wishing to speak generally, will he be allowed to speak generally on any particular Amendment?

Mr. SPEAKER

I cannot control what hon. Members say, nor can I prevent them winding up their speech by moving an Amendment, and therefore I am entirely in the hands of the House in that matter. But what I should like to do if I had my way in the matter would be to devote today to a general discussion and to begin-with Amendments to-morrow. If the-House generally falls in with the desire that that course should be followed I am sure hon. Gentlemen and right hon. Gentlemen who speak would fall in with that view, and would desist from moving any Amendments until to-morrow.

Sir F. BANBURY

In the event of the course suggested being adopted, will a. Member who speaks to-day be permitted to move an Amendment to-morrow?

Mr. SPEAKER

No. That particular Member would not have the right of making a second speech, hut, of course, he would have a right of speaking upon an Amendment moved by someone else.

Sir DONALD MACLEAN

In the general discussion which you have suggested, and which I am quite certain the House will adopt, I presume you would not exclude as out of order references to some other Amendment, such as that of my right hon. Friend (Mr. Adamson) and other hon. Members sitting below the Gangway now on the Paper?

Mr. SPEAKER

If the Amendments are relative, as they are, arguments in favour of them would be relevant to the general discussion.