§ 45. Captain AINSWORTHasked the Prime Minister if he will appoint a small Committee to inquire into the conditions which should govern the suspension of Members of Parliament, both from the point of view of duration and payment of salary?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo action can be taken at this stage of the Session, but before the House meets again after the adjournement, I will consider the desirability of setting up a Select Committee to consider Standing Order 18, and to make recommendations as to its Amendment.
Lieut-Colonel J. WARDDoes that mean that the Committee are going to consider the question of the payment of Members? If so, I would like the right hon. Gentleman to include in the terms of reference to the Committee the question of whether the present salary of Members of the House of Commons is sufficient?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am afraid that part of the hon. Member's question could not be debated by a Committee considering the operation of Standing Order No. 18. With regard to the other considerations, we can only discover that, after studying the Standing Order as it now exists.