HC Deb 10 November 1920 vol 134 cc1211-2

4.0 P.M.

(2) The Council of Ireland shall in the first instance consist of u person appointed by His Majesty, who shall be President, twenty persons, of whom not less than tenshall be members of the House of Commons of Southern Ireland chosen by the House in such manner as that House may determine, and twenty persons, of w[...]om not less than ten shall be members of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland chosen by that House in such manner as that House may determine, and the appointment of members of the Council of Ireland shall be the first business of the House of Commons of Southern Ireland and of Northern Ireland.

A member of the Council appointed by the House of Commons of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland shall, on ceasing to be a member of that House, cease to be a member of the Council:

Provided that on the dissolution of the Parliament of Southern Ireland or Northern Ireland the persons who are members of the Council appointed by the House of Commons of that Parliament shall continue to hold office as members of the Council until the date of the first meeting of the new Parliament.

The first meeting of the Council shall be held at such time and place as may be appointed by the Lord Lieutenant.

The Council may act notwithstanding a vacancy in their number, and the quorum of the Council shall be fifteen; subject as aforesaid the Council may regulate their own procedure including the delegation of powers to committees.

Sir LAMING WORTHINGTON-EVANS (Minister without Portfolio)

I beg to move, at the beginning of Subsection (2), to insert the words "Subject as hereinafter provided."

The Amendments which I have to move to this Clause are purely drafting Amendments, intended to meet points raised in Committee, and this and the following ones should practically be read as one Amendment.

Question, "That those words be there inserted in the Bill," put, and agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In Subsection (2) leave out the words "in the first instance."

After the word "Ireland" ["Northern Ireland shall, on ceasing to be a member"] insert the words "if on his appointment he was a member of either House of Commons."

After the word "Parliament" ["first meeting of the new Parliament"] insert the words "and shall then retire unless re-appointed."

After the words last added, insert the words "The President of the Council shall preside at each meeting of the Council at which he is present, and shall be entitled to vote in case of an equality of votes, but not otherwise."—[Sir L. Worthington Evans.]