§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSMay I ask your guidance, Mr. Speaker, on a matter which I think must affect most Members of this House? I desire you, Sir, to explain exactly to which Minister questions should be put in this House referring 1264 to the action of superintendents of police or of presiding magistrates in ordinary police courts. You will remember that I submitted a private notice question to you earlier this week. Further, I approached the Clerk at the Table with a similar question, which was 1265 rejected on the ground that the Home Secretary was not in any sense responsible for the actions of superintendents of police. Since not only political motives are being attributed by a superintendent to a prisoner but other statements are being made, I should like to know how these matters can be brought to the notice of the House.
§ Mr. SPEAKERMatters which are under the control of local authorities must be dealt with by those local authorities, and not here on the Floor of the House. That is a well-recognised principle on which we work. It would never do to bring up here matters which have their remedy in another place.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSMay I respectfully suggest that as the Government are responsible for fifty per cent. of the salaries paid to the officers referred to, at least there should be some control by the Home Secretary and the House over the actions and attitude of such persons when they are performing their normal duties in police courts or elsewhere.
§ Mr. BUCHANANArising out of your ruling, Sir, that it would not do if this House began to review the work of local authorities and to go into questions concerning that work, may I point out that three questions have been allowed which interfere with the local autonomy and full control of the Bethnal Green Board of Guardians? Are we to understand that the rule which you have just laid down is now to apply to all Members of the House and that no interference is to be allowed with the work of any local authority.
§ Mr. WALLHEADWe have understood from the Home Secretary on many occasions that superintendents of police in various counties have acted upon his instructions. If the right hon. Gentleman can legally issue instructions to superintendents, may we not put questions to him regarding the actions of such officers?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe three questions to which reference has been made show that it would be unwise for me to deliver a ruling which might not apply to all individual cases. I must deal with each case by itself as it arises, because the cases vary considerably. I can only lay down the general rule that we should not interfere with the local authorities in the discharge of their own 1266 duties. There are, I agree, some cases where the Minister has an overriding power, and in those cases questions might be allowed in the House; but I must deal with the questions as they come up, having regard to the particular case to which each question refers.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSSince your ruling, Mr. Speaker, is against submitting any question on this particular matter, may I ask, through you, when are we likely to have an opportunity of debating a matter of this kind which is of a general character on the Floor of the House, so that the facts may be brought to the notice of the responsible administrator?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSAs far as that is concerned, perhaps the hon. Member will put his question to the Prime Minister. There will be an opportunity of dealing with the matter, as it concerns me, when my salary is under consideration.
§ Mr. HAYESIn view of the fact that there is a number of inspectors-general of constabulary whose salaries are paid wholly by this House, may I ask whether they are not responsible to the Home Secretary for the administration of the various police forces, and whether, on that ruling, hon. Members are not entitled to bring these matters to the notice of the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question, again, shows how unwise it would be for me to give any ruling without going into the particular case.
§ Mr. BUCHANANMay I point out, without any offence, that your ruling, Sir, in regard to this question of local authorities is not being carried out exactly as your statement, Sir, would suggest? The question raised by the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) has, I understand, been ruled out as interfering with a superintendent's rights or with the rights of a local authority in that respect. Not long since, you allowed the hon. and learned Member for Argyll (Mr. Macquisten) to raise a point concerning the jurisdiction of police in Scotland. We put similar questions and they are refused, and it seems to me that this rule regarding local authorities can be waived on some questions and on other questions it cannot. Would it not be better that the House should discuss the whole subject of how far these questions 1267 are to be allowed or disallowed in the case of all Members of the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI may say that I would welcome anything which would relieve me of the responsibility, and I will be glad to help the hon. Member in that direction. Meantime, I have to administer the Rules as they are.