HC Deb 12 May 1925 vol 183 cc1819-20
The SOLICITOR - GENERAL (Sir Thomas Inskip)

I beg to move, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider whether the election of Mr. J. A. Pringle as a Member of this House is valid, in consequence of his holding, at the time of his election, the office of umpire for Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, as adapted to Northern Ireland by Order in Council dated the 3rd day of March, 1922. Mr. Pringle was elected one of the two Members for the division of Tyrone and Fermanagh at the last General Election. It now appears that at the time he had been appointed Umpire under the Unemployment Insurance Act and the Orders in Council made under that Act. A question of some nicety has arisen as to whether he held at the time an office of profit under the Crown which disentitled him from beinga, candidate at the Election. I think I am right in saying that in matters of this sort, if the House chooses to exercise the power, it is the arbiter of its own constitution. Although in some cases where the facts are clear beyond dispute, an hon. Member may take a course which makes it unnecessary for the House to take action of the sort which I now propose, in this particular case Mr. Pringle is perhaps not unnaturally unwilling to incur any risk such as he might do by taking his seat. On the other hand it is not desirable that fear of any technical disqualification should prevent him taking his seat if no such disqualification, in fact, exists. With a view to an inquiry into the whole of the circumstances and into the question whether such disqualification exists or not, I beg to move the appointment of the Select Committee.

Question put and agreed to. Ordered, That a Select Committee be appointed to consider whether the election of Mr. J. A. Pringle as a Member of this House is valid, in consequence of his holding, at the time of his election, the office of umpire for Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1020, as adapted to Northern Ireland by Order in Council dated the 3rd day of March, 1922

Ordered, That the Committee do consist of Eleven Members

Brigadier-General Sir Henry Page Croft, Sir John Ganzoni, Mr. Harney, Sir Robert Horne, Mr. Mardy Jones, Sir Malcolm Macnaghten. Sir Charles Oman, Sir James Remnant, Sir Robert Sanders, Mr. Stephen, and Mr. J. H. Thomas nominated Members of the Committee.

Ordered, That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers, and records

Ordered, That Three be the quorum

The remaining Orders were read, and postponed

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