HC Deb 04 March 1931 vol 249 cc415-6

[1ST ALLOTTED DAY.]

Order for Committee read.

The following Notices of Motion stood upon the Order Paper: That it be an Instruction to the Committee that they have power so to amend Clause 2 as to enlarge or alter the boundaries of double-Member constituencies to include the whole of the municipal borough within the new Parliamentary divisions, and to make the necessary adjustments to the boundaries of adjoining constituencies."—[Mr. Raynes.] That it be an Instruction to the Committee on the Bill that they have power to insert provisions in the Bill for the election of Members of Parliament by methods other than the Alternative Vote."—[Sir S. Hoare.] That it he an Instruction to the Committee on the Bill that they have power to insert provisions in the Bill for the better ordering and conduct of elections."—[Sir A. Steel-Maitland.] That it be an Instruction to the Committee on the Bill that they have power to insert provisions in the Bill to exclude from the House of Commons candidates who are in the pay or service of foreign Governments with whom this Country does not maintain diplomatic relations."—[Commander Bellairs.]

Mr. SPEAKER

I have given careful consideration to the Instructions on the Paper, and I have come to the conclusion that they are all outside the scope of the Bill. It is true that the Bill is very narrowly drafted. If that had not been so, it might have been possible to include the substance of the Instructions in the Bill, although they were outside the scope of the Title. In that ease, the Title would have had to be amended. If the substance of these Instructions were included in the Bill when the Bill came down to the House it would probably have been ruled that the Bill was a different Bill from the one to which the House had given a Second Reading. For these reasons, I have come to the conclusion that they are all outside the scope of the Bill.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

In what way will your Ruling, Sir, affect the time-table that we passed yesterday?

Mr. SPEAKER

I do not see how it will affect the time-table at all.

Considered in Committee.

[Sir ROBERT YOUNG in the Chair.]