IMPORT DUTIES BILL. (Hansard, 22 February 1932)

§ The CHAIRMAN
Before we proceed with the business it may be helpful to the Committee if I make a suggestion in regard to the Amendments to the First Schedule to the Bill. A large number of Amendments appear on the Order Paper, some of which appear to be put down in the wrong places. I propose to have these Amendments re-arranged and to adopt the following course in doing so. I propose that we should first take as they come, going down the items in the Schedule as it stands, all Amendments to the items which appear in the Schedule. That, of course, would include all Amendments to omit anything which is in the Schedule at present. After that, I propose we should take, as at the end of the Schedule, all proposals to insert other items in or add other articles to the Schedule. But if that course is adopted, it will appear to some Members of the Committee to be possible, by discussing at considerable length alterations to items now in the Schedule, to shut out proposals to add further items to the Schedule. In order to avoid that possibility, the Deputy-Chairman and I propose that, after a reasonable time has been spent in discussing alterations to the Schedule as it stands, including proposals to omit things from the Schedule, we should then exercise our right of selection of Amendments by not selecting any more of those Amendments but should proceed to select Amendments proposing additions to the Schedule. I hope that that proposal will commend itself to the Committee. I think that, by that means, we should get the important matters discussed as far as is possible in the time available.

§ Sir PERCY HARRIS
Is not the omission of any item from the Schedule tantamount to an increase in the charge on the taxpayer?

§ The CHAIRMAN
That point has already been dealt with in a considered Ruling which I gave on. Thursday last.