§ Major Trevor CoxI wish to ask your guidance, Mr. Speaker, Sir, on a question which concerns Motion No. 83 on the Order Paper.
§ [That this House requests His Majesty's Government to appoint a Committee to inquire publicly into the provision made by Government Departments, Local Authorities and Charities for children deprived of a normal home life, and to make recommendations.]
§ I discovered, by accident, that my name had been put down as a supporter of this Motion without my knowledge and without any prior consultation. I am reluctant to raise the matter, but I believe there have been other cases. I know of one or two. Therefore, I thought I would ask your guidance, Sir, in regard to it.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. and gallant Member is perfectly right in raising this matter, because it is of some importance that, when names are put down to a Motion by hon. Members, they should ascertain that these are the names of supporters of the Motion, and that they are put down correctly. I am told that sometimes that has not been the case in the past. I am told, too, that very often postcards are put on the Table, presumably for supporters of the Motion, and sometimes a card states, "I am not in favour of my name being added, as I do not support the Motion." That shows tha[...] sufficient care is not always taken to see that the lists put in are correct. I am told, also, that a whole list of names was put in the other day in support of the wrong Motion. All that means a great deal of extra work, and I am grateful to the hon. and gallant Member for raising the question.