§ Mr. ATTLEE(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for India whether he intends to invite or permit nominated members of the Legislative Assembly to vote on the ratification of the Ottawa Agreement?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Sir Samuel Hoare)I presume that the Government of India will not depart in this connection from the practice which they normally follow in regard to Government measures.
§ Mr. LANSBURYDoes that mean that the approval of these Agreements may be carried by the nominated members and not by the native representatives?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe answer means what it says, namely, that we shall continue the ordinary procedure under which the nominated members vote in questions of this kind. I feel sure that that is the procedure which the right hon. Gentleman himself would have adopted if he had still been in office.
§ Mr. LANSBURYThe last part of the answer is beside the point. Does the right hon. Gentleman think that Agreements of this character ought to be carried by the votes of the nominated members?
§ Sir S. HOAREThat is the ordinary procedure, and I see no reason for departing from it. I will further inform the right hon. Gentleman that if we did depart from it the Labour representative in the Assembly would be debarred from voting.