§ Mr. GRITTENMay I draw your attention, Mr. Speaker, to the practice of so many hon. Members not appearing in the House to put the questions standing in their names on the Order Paper. This practice causes great inconvenience to many hon. Members who desire; when they see an important question on the Paper, to put equally important supplementary questions; and is not this practice somewhat derogatory to the dignity of this House. Will you, Mr. Speaker, consider the feasibility of imposing some form of penalty upon them?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not think that the suggestion of the hon. Member is a very practical one. Hon. Members may have other engagements, or sudden calls of which they were not aware. In those circumstances, I should be reluctant to pass any censure upon them.
§ Mr. GRITTENWould it not be a matter of the merest courtesy to give you notice, Mr. Speaker, that they cannot be present?
Lieut.-Colonel MURRAYWould it not get over the difficulty if the hon. Member occasionally thought out an important question for himself?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is the best guardian of his own conscience.