§ Mr. McENTEEI wish to ask you, Mr. Speaker, a question of which I have given you Private Notice, namely, whether you 44 are aware that a great number of provincial and overseas visitors now in London are seeking an opportunity to see the House of Commons for a short period when Parliament is sitting; and whether, in view of this great demand, it could be arranged, as a temporary measure, that a part of the side Galleries shall be available for short visits of say, 30 minutes' duration, under proper regulations, to allow these visitors to gratify their desire to see Parliament at work?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have already given consideration to this suggestion, which was made a short time ago by another hon Member. But I am afraid that, with all the desire in the world to meet the interests of visitors, it is quite impracticable, owing to the construction of the House. We could not have visitors intermingling with Members in the access to the House, and I am afraid that practical considerations make it impossible.
§ Mr. MILLSMay I very respectfully suggest to you, Sir, that there certainly is no need for any question of internal reconstruction—it is merely a matter of dealing with the corner seats in the Galleries and the extra duties devolving upon the attendants. Visitors could quite easily come in from the present entrance.
Lieut. - Colonel WATTS - MORGANMight I suggest that the tickets for the ordinary Visitors' Gallery might be made for two hours or less, as in the case of the Ladies' Gallery at present? That would to some extent ease the congestion.
§ Mr. HARCOURT JOHNSTONEMay I draw attention to the fact that the portion of the Galleries reserved for the Dominions does not contain a solitary visitor at the present minute?
§ Mr. STURROCKWould it not be very desirable to remove the question of admission to the Galleries from the hands of Members altogether, in view of the fact that it is perfectly impossible for Members to meet the demand made upon them; and might I suggest, further, that the question of admission to the Galleries should be referred to an Officer of the House, to whom all visitors desiring to come here should apply?
§ Mr. SEXTONIs it possible, with the most vivid imagination, to justify the statement that the House is seriously at work when visitors are here?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think that visitors have only to see the hon. Member for St. Helens (Mr. Sexton) to be quite well satisfied as to that.
§ Mr. McENTEEMight I ask you to consider whether, if it is not possible for the side Galleries to be used in that way, it would be possible to do something such as is now done in another place, and to allow visitors to come in for, say, five minutes, and to occupy the last seat on this side on the Floor of the House, or, if not there, at some other place, where they could just see the House, which is the desire they have generally expressed?
§ Mr. SPEAKERWith regard to the question of the hon. Member for Montrose (Mr. Sturrock), if Members wish not to see their constituents, there is always the Order Office in St. Stephen's Hall, to which their friends can be referred. With regard to the other suggestions that have been made, I will again take them into consideration, but I am bound to say I have not seen any practicable way of adding to the accommodation that is already available. The Dominions Gallery was instituted as the result of the unanimous recommendation of a Select Committee, appointed by the House itself, and I think that any further proposals should be dealt with in the same way.