HC Deb 30 November 1925 vol 188 cc1831-4
Mr. CAMPBELL

Might I respectfully ask you, Mr. Speaker, if you can suggest any means by which opportunities may be given for more Members to take part in Debate than is at present possible?

Mr. SPEAKER

My sympathies are all with hon. Members in this matter—to those who have to go home at night with undelivered speeches. I can only plead that, whereas each individual Member carries the burden of his own speech, I go home carrying the burdens of 20 or 30 undelivered speeches, and the feeling that, in an important Debate, there may have been better speeches undelivered than the ones delivered! I can, therefore, in response to what the hon. Member has said, only renew my appeal for brevity.

Hon. Members are often not aware of the march of the clock, at which they studiously avoid looking. They indicate to me that ten minutes will in all probability be adequate for their speech, and they are no doubt later quite unaware that they have proceeded for 20 or 25 minutes. I can only again appeal to hon. Members to be as unselfish as they can in this respect. If there were more 10-minute speeches, a proportionately larger number of Members would have the opportunity of taking part in the Debate.

Mr. CAMPBELL

Arising out of your courteous reply to my question, may I ask if you are aware that in the Unemployment Debate of last Thursday, seven Conservatives spoke forty and a quarter columns of the OFFICIAL REPORT, whilst 12 Members of the Opposition spoke 71 columns?

Mr. SPEAKER

I am afraid that one period of suffering is enough for me. I do not read speeches again in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Lieut.-Colonel POWNALL

Is it not the case that on Thursday last, that three Front Benches covered between them three-hours and 50 minutes, and is it not possible, in view of the fact that there are three Front Benches in the House instead of two Front Benches, that the Members of the Front Benches might place more curb on their oratory, and so give more time to nine-tenths of the House who have to sit on the back benches?

Mr. SPEAKER

The figures of the hon. Member with respect to Thursday, I believe, are accurate. In regard to the inference drawn from them my sympathies are with him.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

Might I very respectfully suggest to you, Sir, that, in the first place, we might consider having a clock above your Chair to synchronise with the other clock, and as hon. Members look towards you and face you they would see the clock? Might I also very respectfully reinforce what hon. Gentlemen have said in asking you to use your influence, through the usual channels, with the Front Benches to cur-tail their speeches?

Mr. SPEAKER

In regard to the last question, I can only hope that this conversation will have its effect. With regard to the first question of the hon. and gallant Gentleman, I am afraid that if there were a second clock, the result would be that Members on either side would look straight across the House.

Captain WALTER SHAW

May I draw your attention to the fact, Sir, that a letter was sent by a great many Members which, I believe, made representations whereby they undertook to speak only for 10 minutes. Might I ask if you received that letter, and also if you would favour those hon. Gentlemen who have been so kind as to sign that document?

Mr. SPEAKER

Some hon. Members have been very good, and do not forget their promise to speak a shorter time, but others, as I have said, do not observe the clock, and forget that they were signatories to the memorial.

Mr. AUSTIN HOPKINSON

Might I suggest, Sir, that in very notorious cases —and there are some very notorious cases!—could you not accept a Motion that the hon. Member be no longer heard?

Mr. SPEAKER

I do not think that a Motion of that kind would go far to help us. Opinion on a question of this kind differs very widely.