§ Mr. AttleeMay I ask the Prime Minister what business it is proposed to take in the event of the Motion for the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule being carried?
§ The Prime MinisterWe propose to move the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule in order to obtain the first eight Orders on the Paper.
§ Mr. BuchananOn a point of Order. I notice that the Prime Minister has put down a Motion which includes the Divorce and Nullity of Marriage (Scotland) Bill [Lords]. May I ask whether this Bill has been taken over by the Government? While it is true that the Standing Order dealing with this matter says in effect that they can move for any "specified business," I think, if you 1117 read the Standing Order, it will convey the idea of "specified business" being Government business and, therefore, that it is a straining of the Standing Order that the Government are now moving such a Motion for the first time. I would like the Prime Minister or you, Mr. Speaker, to inform me whether this has ever been clone before, that the Government, before announcing the taking-over of a Bill, have moved the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule in regard to it, and might I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to rule that this is a precedent that is now being established? In my time I cannot recollect the Government ever moving the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule for non-Government business.
§ Mr. SpeakerI cannot without notice give the hon. Member any previous instance of a similar kind, but I know that it has been the practice in the past. Of course, "specified business" does not necessarily mean Government business.
§ Mr. BuchananBut the Standing Order says that the Government shall give notice for "specified business."
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is what they have done.
§ Mr. BuchananYes, that may be true, but on the reading of the Standing Order my feeling is that "specified business" means Government business, and I submit that it is straining the Standing Order for the Government, without any notice, suddenly to take over a Private Bill and move, by a Motion which is not discussible, the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule for non-Government business.
§ Mr. StephenOn previous occasions have not the Government always intimated that they were taking over responsibility for a Measure before putting this Motion on the Paper?
§ Mr. SpeakerI cannot give that information without notice.
§ Mr. Neil MacleanIs it not a fact that as this Motion is placed on the Paper, the House can vote on it in two parts, first on the Government business, and secondly on the Divorce Bill?
§ Sir T. MooreDid not the Prime Minister indicate yesterday that he would 1118 follow the course that he is proposing to follow to-day?
§ Mr. MacleanMay I have a reply to my question?
§ Mr. SpeakerI do not see how we can divide this Motion into two separate Motions, because it does not relate to two Standing Orders.
§ Mr. MacleanIt has been the practice during the last ten years at least, if not the last 20 years, where instances of this kind have occurred, for two votes to be taken, one upon Government business and the other upon the business which the Government have not taken over.
§ Mr. SpeakerI do not think that this particular Motion has been divided into two. That is done only when the Motion deals with two different Standing Orders.
§ Mr. MacleanAre we to take it that the Government are asking for the suspension of the Eleven o'Clock Rule on particular business for which they are not taking responsibility?
§ Mr. SpeakerIt is on specified business according to the Standing Order.
§ Mr. MacleanThey are not taking responsibility for that specified business. This is a Private Member's Bill.
§ Mr. StephenIn view of the fact that we can get no specific information as to whether this has ever been done before without the Government taking the responsibility for the Measure mentioned in the Motion, will not the Prime Minister withdraw this Motion to-day?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member must not imply that I said it had never been done before. It has been done before. I only said that I could not give the specific occasion without notice.
§ Mr. StephenThe point I was asking was whether it had ever been done before without the Government taking responsibility for the Measure mentioned in the Motion.
§ Mr. SpeakerI have said that it has been done before, but I cannot give the occasion without notice.
§
Motion made, and Question put,
That the Proceedings on Government Business and on the Divorce and Nullity of Marriage (Scotland) Bill [Lords] be exempted,
1119
at this day's Sitting, from the provisions of the Standing Order (Sittings of the House)." —[The Prime Minister.]
| Division No. 294.] | AYES. | [3.43 p.m. |
| Acland-Troyte, Lt.-Col. G. J. | Duekworth, W. R. (Moss Side) | Maitland, A. |
| Agnew, Lieut.-Comdr. P. G. | Dugdale, Captain T. L. | Manningham-Buller, Sir M. |
| Albery, Sir lrving | Duggan, H. J. | Margesson, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. D. R. |
| Allen, Col. J. Sandeman (B'knhead) | Duncan, J. A. L. | Marsden, Commander A. |
| Anderson, Sir A. Garrett (C. of Ldn.) | Eastwood, J. F. | Maxwell, Hon. S. A. |
| Anderson, Rt. Hn. Sir J. (So'h Univ's) | Edmondson, Major Sir J. | Mayhew, Lt.-Col. J. |
| Anstruther-Gray, W. J. | Elliot, Rt. Hon. W. E. | Mellor, Sir J. S. P. (Tamworth) |
| Apsley, Lord | Ellis, Sir G. | Mills, Sir F. (Leyton, E.) |
| Aske, Sir R. W. | Elliston, Capt. G. S. | Moore, Lieut.-Col. Sir T. C. R. |
| Assheton, R. | Elmley, Viscount | Morgan, R. H. |
| Astor, Major Hon. J. J. (Dover) | Emery, J. F. | Morris-Jones, Sir Henry |
| Astor, Viscountess (Plymouth, Sutton) | Emrys-Evans, P. V. | Morrison, G. A. (Scottish Univ's.) |
| Baillie, Sir A. W. M. | Erskine-Hill, A. G. | Morrison, Rt. Hon. W. S. (Cirencester) |
| Baldwin-Webb, Col. J. | Findlay, Sir E. | Nicholson, G. (Farnham) |
| Barclay-Harvey, Sir C. M. | Fleming, E. L. | Nicolson, Hon. H. G. |
| Baxter, A. Beverley | Fox, Sir G. W. G. | Peake, O. |
| Beauohamp, Sir B. C. | Furness, S. N. | Perkins, W. R. D. |
| Beaumont, Hon. R. E. B. (Portsm'h) | Fyfe, D. P. M. | Petherick, M. |
| Beit, Sir A. L. | Gitmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir J. | Pickthorn, K. W. M. |
| Bennett, Sir E. N. | Gledhill, G. | Pilkington, R. |
| Bernays, R. H. | Gluckstein, L. H. | Pownall, Lt.-Col. Sir Assheton |
| Bird, Sir R. B. | Gower, Sir R. V. | Procter, Major H. A. |
| Blair, Sir R. | Granville, E. L. | Radford, E. A. |
| Boulton, W. W. | Gretton, Col. Rt. Hon. J. | Raikes, H. V. A. M. |
| Bower, Comdr. R. T. | Gridley, Sir A. B. | Ramsbotham, H. |
| Boyee, H. Leslie | Grigg, Sir E. W. M. | Ramsden, Sir E. |
| Braithwaite, Major A. N. | Grimston, R. V. | Rathbone, Eleanor (English Univ's.) |
| Brass, Sir W. | Guest, Hon. I. (Brecon and Radnor) | Rathbone, J. R. (Bodmin) |
| Briscoe, Capt. R. G. | Gunston, Capt. Sir D. W. | Rawson, Sir Cooper |
| Brown, Col. D. C. (Hexham) | Hambro A. V. | Rayner, Major R. H. |
| Brown, Rt. Hon. E. (Leith) | Hannah, I. C. | Reed, A. C. (Exeter) |
| Brown, Brig.-Gen. H. C. (Newbury) | Hannon, Sir P. J. H. | Reed, Sir H. S. (Aylesbury) |
| Browne, A. C. (Belfast, W.) | Harbord, A. | Reid, W. Allan (Derby) |
| Bull, B. B. | Harvey, Sir G. | Remer, J. R. |
| Bullock, Capt. M. | Harvey, T. E. (Eng. Univ's.) | Robinson, J. R. (Blackpool) |
| Burgin, Rt. Hon. E. L. | Haslam, Henry (Horncastle) | Ross Taylor, W. (Woodbridge) |
| Butcher, H. W. | Heilgers, Captain F. F. A. | Rowlands, G. |
| Butler, R. A | Hely-Hutchinson, M. R. | Royds, Admiral Sir P. M. R |
| Caine, G. R. Hall. | Hepburn, P. G. T. Buchan- | Ruggles-Brise, Colonel Sir E. A. |
| Campbell, Sir E. T. | Hepworth, J. | Russell, Sir Alexander |
| Cartland, J. R. H. | Higgs, W. F. | Russell, R. J. (Eddisbury) |
| Carver, Major W. H. | Hoare, Rt. Hon. Sir S. | Russell, S. H. M. (Darwen) |
| Cary, R. A. | Holdsworth, H. | Salmon, Sir I. |
| Cayzer, Sir C. W. (City of Chester) | Holmes, J. S. | Salt, E. W. |
| Cazalet, Thelma (Islington, E.) | Hope, Captain Hon. A. O. J. | Samuel, M. R. A. |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. N. (Edgb't'n) | Hopkinson, A. | Sandeman, Sir N. S. |
| Channon, H. | Hore-Belisha, Rt. Hon. L. | Sanderson, Sir F. B. |
| Chapman, A. (Rutherglen) | Hudson, Capt. A. U. M. (Hack., N.) | Scott, Lord William |
| Chapman, Sir S. (Edinburgh, S.) | Hudson, Rt. Hon. R. S. (Southport) | Selley, H. R. |
| Christie, J. A. | Hunloke, H. P. | Shakespeare, G. H. |
| Clarke, Colonel R. S. (E. Grinstead) | Hunter, T. | Shaw, Major P. S. (Wavertree) |
| Clarry, Sir Reginald | Hurd, Sir P. A. | Shaw, Captain W. T. (Forfar) |
| Clydesdale, Marquess of | Jones, Sir H. Haydn (Merioneth) | Shepperson, Sir E. W. |
| Colfox, Major W. P. | Jones, L. (Swansea W.) | Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir J. A. |
| Colman, N. C. D. | Keeling, E. H. | Sinclair, Col. T. (Queen's U. B'lf'st) |
| Colville, Rt. Hon. John | Kerr, Colonel C. I. (Montrose) | Smiles, Lieut.-Colonel Sir W. D. |
| Conant, Captain R. J. E. | Kerr, H. W. (Oldham) | Smith, Bracewell (Dulwich) |
| Cook, Sir T. R. A. M. (Norfolk, N.) | Kerr, J. Graham (Scottish Univs.) | Smith, Sir Louis (Hallam) |
| Cooke, J. D. (Hammersmith, S.) | Kimball, L. | Smithers, Sir W. |
| Cooper, Rt. Hn. T. M. (E'nburgh, W.) | Knox, Major-General Sir A. W. F. | Somervell, Rt. Hon. Sir Donald |
| Courthope, Col. Rt. Hon. Sir G. L. | Lambert, Rt. Hon. G. | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Cox, H. B. Trevor | Leech, Sir J. W. | Southby, Commander Sir A. R. J. |
| Cranborne, Viscount | Leighton, Major B. E. P. | Spens, W. P. |
| Craven-Ellis, W. | Lennox-Boyd, A. T. L. | Stanley, Rt. Hon. Lord (Fylde) |
| Crooke, Sir J. Smedley | Lewis, O. | Stanley, Rt. Hon. Oliver (W'm'l'd) |
| Crookshank, Capt. H. F. C. | Liddall, W. S. | Stewart, J. Henderson (Fife, E.) |
| Cruddas, Col. B. | Lindsay, K. M. | Stewart, William J. (Belfast, S.) |
| Davidson, Viscountess | Lipson, D. L. | Storey, S. |
| Davies, Major Sir G. F. (Yeovil) | Lloyd, G. W. | Stourton, Major Hon. J. J |
| De Chair, S. S. | Locker-Lampson, Comdr. O. S. | Strauss, E. A. (Southwark, N.) |
| De la Bère, R. | Loftus. P. C. | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) |
| Denville, Alfred | Mabane, W. (Huddersfield) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Sir M. F. |
| Dixon, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. | MacDonald, Rt. Hon. M. (Ross) | Tasker, Sir R. I. |
| Doland, G. F. | MacDonald, Sir Murdoch (Inverness) | Taylor, C. S. (Eastbourne) |
| Donner, P. W. | Macdonald, Capt. P. (Isle of Wight) | Thorneycroft, G. E. P. |
| Dower, Major A. V. G. | McKie, J. H. | Tree, A. R. L. F. |
| Drewe, C. | Maonamara, Major J. R. J. | Tufnell, Lieut.-Commander R. L. |
| Duckworth, Arthur (Shrewsbury) | Macquisten, F. A. | Turton, R. H. |
§ The House divided: Ayes, 256; Noes, 128.
| Wakefield, W. W. | Wayland, Sir W. A. | Wise, A. R. |
| Walker-Smith, Sir J. | Wells, Sir Sydney | Withers, Sir J. J. |
| Wallace, Capt. Rt. Hon. Euan | Whiteley, Major J. P. (Buckingham) | Womersley, Sir W. J. |
| Ward, Lieut.-Col. Sir A. L. (Hull) | Wickham, Lt.-Col. E. T. R. | Wood, Rt. Hon. Sir Kingsiey |
| Ward, Irene M. B. (Wallsend) | Williams, H. G. (Croydon, S.) | Wragg, H. |
| Warrender, Sir V. | Willoughby de Eresby, Lord | Wright, Wing-Commander J. A. C. |
| Waterhouse, Captain C. | Wilson, Lt.-Col. Sir A. T. (Hitchin) | |
| Watt, Major G. S. Harvie | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel G. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Mr. Munro and Major Herbert. |
| NOES. | ||
| Adams, D. M. (Poplar, S.) | Hayday, A. | Price, M. P. |
| Anderson, F. (Whitehaven) | Henderson, A. (Kingswinford) | Pritt, D. N. |
| Attlee, Rt. Hon. C. R. | Henderson, J. (Ardwick) | Riley, B. |
| Barr, J. | Henderson, T. (Tradeston) | Ritson, J. |
| Batey, J. | Hills, A. (Pontefract) | Roberts, W. (Cumberland, N.) |
| Bellenger F. J. | Hollins, A. | Robinson, W. A. (St. Helens) |
| Benn, Rt. Hon. W. W. | Hopkin, D. | Rothschild, J. A. de |
| Benson, G. | Horsbrugh, Florence | Sanders, W. S. |
| Bevan, A. | Jagger, J. | Seely, Sir H. M. |
| Bromfield, W. | Jenkins, A. (Pontypool) | Sexton, T. M. |
| Brown, C. (Mansfield) | Jenkins, Sir W. (Neath) | Silkin, L. |
| Brown, Rt. Hon. J. (S. Ayrshire) | John, W. | Silverman, S. S. |
| Buchanan, G. | Johnston, Rt. Hon. T. | Simpson, F. B. |
| Burke, W. A. | Jones, A. C. (Shipley) | Sinclair, Rt. Hon. Sir A. (C'thn's) |
| Charleton, H. C. | Kirby, B. V. | Smith, Ben (Rotherhithe) |
| Chater, D. | Kirkwood, D. | Smith, E. (Stoke) |
| Cluse, W. S. | Lathan, G. | Smith, Rt. Hon. H. B. Lees- (K'ly) |
| Collindridge, F. | Lawson, J. J. | Smith, T. (Normanton) |
| Cove, W. G. | Leach, W. | Sorensen, R. W. |
| Crowder, J. F. E. | Lee, F. | Stephen, C. |
| Daggar, G. | Leonard, W. | Stewart, W. J. (H'ght'n-le-Sp'ng) |
| Davidson, J. J. (Maryhill) | Leslie, J. R. | Summerskill, Dr. Edith |
| Davies, R. J. (Westhoughton) | Logan, D. G. | Taylor, R. J. (Morpeth) |
| Davies, S. O. (Merthyr) | Lunn, W. | Thorne, W. |
| Day, H. | Macdonald, G. (Ince) | Thurtle, E. |
| Dobbie, W. | McEntee, V. La T. | Tinker, J. J. |
| Edwards, A. (Middlesbrough E.) | McGhee, H. G. | Tomlinson, G. |
| Edwards, Sir C. (Bedwellty) | McGovern, J. | Viant, S. P. |
| Evans, D. O. (Cardigan) | Maclean, N. | Walkden, A. G. |
| Fletcher, Lt.-Comdr. R.T. H. | Mander, G. le M. | Walker, J. |
| Frankel, D. | Marklew, E. | Watkins, F. C. |
| Gallacher, W. | Marshall, F. | Watson, W. McL. |
| Gardner, B. W. | Maxton, J. | White, H. Graham |
| George, Major G. Lloyd (Pembroke) | Messer, F. | Whiteley, W. (Blaydon) |
| George, Megan Lloyd (Anglesey) | Montague, F, | Wilkinson, Ellen |
| Gibson, R. (Greenook) | Moreing, A. C. | Williams, E. J. (Ogmore) |
| Green, W. H. (Deptford) | Noel-Baker, P. J. | Williams, T. (Don Valley) |
| Grenfell, D. R. | Owen, Major G. | Windsor, W. (Hull, C.) |
| Griffith, F. Kingsley (M'ddl'sbro, W.) | Paling, W. | Woods, G. S. (Finsbury) |
| Griffiths, G. A. (Hemsworth) | Parker, J. | Young, Sir R. (Newton) |
| Groves, T. E. | Parkinson, J. A. | |
| Guest, Dr. L. H. (Islington, N.) | Pearson, A. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Hall, J. H. (Whitechapel) | Pethick-Lawrence, Rt. Hon. F. W. | Mr. Mathers and Mr. Adamson. |
| Harris, Sir P. A. | Poole, C. C. |