§ 59. Mr. SANDERSasked the Minister of Transport whether he can make any statement as to the attitude of the Government in relation to the present position of the London County Council (Charing Cross Bridge) Bill?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONThe action now to be taken in relation to the Charing Cross Bridge Bill rests with the 396 London County Council. I can only say that in the event of the Council deciding to ask for a recommittal of the Bill in order that Parliament may have a further opportunity of expressing its views, the Government, while leaving the matter to a free vote, would advise the House to adopt that course.
Commander Sir BOLTON EYRES MONSELLIs the hon. Gentleman aware that, however much one may want this bridge, to recommend the House to overthrow one of its Committees is a very grave constitutional precedent? I hope the Government will take that point into consideration.
§ Mr. MORRISONYes, that has been taken into account, but the fact cannot be ignored, particularly by Members of the late Government, that what the London County Council has done has been done particularly at the request of the late Government in connection with the Charing Cross Bridge Bill and Waterloo Bridge. We have continued the policy of the late Government on this matter, and we do not feel that we are entitled lightly to throw aside the arrangements in that way without, if the council desires it, giving an opportunity to the House of a further expression of opinion.
§ Later—
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINMay I ask the Minister of Transport a question arising out of the matter which passed earlier as to what exactly is the Motion which he proposes to make in respect of the Charing Cross Bridge Bill, and to what Committee does he propose to recommit it?
§ Mr. MORRISONThe right hon. Gentleman is under a misapprehension as to what I said. There is no intention on the part of the Government to bring forward a Motion to recommit the Charing Cross Bridge Bill. I said in my answer that, in the event of the London County Council deciding to ask for a recommittal of the Bill—that is to say, they would promote the recommittal Motion in order that Parliament might have a further opportunity of expressing its views—the Government, while leaving the matter to a free vote, would advise the House to adopt that course. Therefore, the question as to which Committee the Bill 397 would be referred is entirely premature at this stage, and no doubt the county council will have to be influenced in their consideration of the chances of success by the attitude of Members of the Opposition, who urged them to go into this policy when they were a Government, as well as by the attitude of His Majesty's Government.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINI will not go into past history, for my share in which I take full responsibility, but I am concerned with the constitutional practice of this House, and for the respect which we owe to our Committees. I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for his answer. I had understood that the Government were going to make a Motion, but they have only undertaken to support the Motion if made. I presume that it will be a condition of their support that the Bill should be recommitted to a Committee which could hear evidence, as the previous Committee did, before undertaking to reverse that Committee's decision?
§ Mr. MORRISONClearly. That would certainly have to be the case.
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINThank you.