HC Deb 01 August 1935 vol 304 cc2847-8
45. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGE

asked the Prime Minister if his attention has been called to the difficulty of obtaining permission to move under Standing Order No. 8 for an adjournment on matters of public importance, seeing that in the last 10 years it has only been obtained on six occasions; and if he will consider whether an amendment of the Standing Order should be proposed?

The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Baldwin)

The number of times the Adjournment of the House has been obtained under Standing Order No. 8 during the last 10 years may appear to be small. I would, however, remind my hon. and gallant Friend that this particular Standing Order was referred to in evidence given to the Select Committee on Procedure of 1930–1932, but the Committee in its report did not recommend any alteration.

Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGE

Will the Prime Minister consider the fact that since that date Parliamentary institutions have come very much under criticism on the Continent and elsewhere, and as this is one of the safety valves of Parliamentary discussion, will he not reconsider the decision come to by the Select Committee?

The PRIME MINISTER

This very difficult problem was examined with great care by the Committee, and the difficulty they found, of course, was to make any alteration in the Order which might possibly give more latitude without giving more licence and becoming intolerable to the whole House.