§ Notwithstanding the establishment of the Parliaments of Southern and Northern Ireland, or the Parliament of Ireland, or anything contained in this Act, the supreme authority of the Parliament of the United Kingdom shall remain unaffected and un-diminished over all persons, matters, and things in Ireland and every part thereof.
§ The CHAIRMANThe Amendment standing on the Paper in the name of the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Malone) ["Nothing in this Act shall take effect in Ireland until the proposals contained therein have been submitted with other alternatives to a referendum of the Irish people"] is outside the scope of the Bill.
§ Captain W. BENNCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us, with regard to this Clause, what has been the practice as regards the constitutions of Australia, South Africa and Canada with respect to reserving the supreme power of the Parliament of the United Kingdom? I think there is variation, and that under some of the constitutions no such reservation is made.
§ Mr. LONGThe hon. and gallant Member is quite right. There is a variation in the different Constitutions in the various Dominions. It is quite obvious that there is a difference in our position as between any of the Dominions. In the other cases, with the exception of South Africa, you were bringing together separate States and uniting them under one head. Here you are setting up two local Parliaments and reserving the supreme power of this Parliament, which is in no way diminished or interfered with by anything in this Bill. It is in order 149 to make the position perfectly clear that this Clause is inserted.
§ Clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.