§ Mr. ErrollI beg to ask leave to present a Petition on behalf of a large number of persons in the North-Western Traffic Area, against the nationalisation of the road transport industry. The Petition has been signed by 109,238 persons. This is an open referendum of the people; many of the signatures are those of people who are compelled to support the Government through compulsorily levied trade union contributions—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member should read the Prayer.
§ Mr. ErrollThe Prayer of the Petition is as follows:
We, your Petitioners, humbly pray your Honourable House to reject any proposals which may hereafter be submitted to Parliament for approval, or for legislation, with the object of replacing private enterprise, in the provision of road transport, by a nationalised or Government-controlled system of transport, and your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.To lie upon the Table.
§ Colonel Crosthwaite-EyreI beg to ask leave to present a Petition on behalf of a large number of persons in a Southern Traffic Area, against the nationalisation of the road transport industry. The Petition has been signed by 17,251 persons. The Prayer of the Petition is as follows:
We, your Petitioners, humbly pray your Honourable House to reject any proposals which may hereafter be submitted to Parliament for approval, or for legislation, with the object of replacing private enterprise, in the provision of road transport, by a nationalised or Government-controlled system of transport, and your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.To lie upon the Table.
§ Mr. GallacherOn a point of Order. In view of the fact that a large number of these signatures, particularly of those people employed by transport undertakings, have been obtained by intimidation—
§ Mr. Speakerrose—
§ Mr. ShurmerPut it in the wastepaper basket.
§ Major Tufton BeamishOn a point of Order. When the first Petition, signed by 109,238 people, was being presented, Mr. Speaker, I heard a Member opposite, a Member for one of the Divisions of Birmingham, suggest that it should be put into the wastepaper basket. Is that in Order?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe proper place for Petitions is here, where they must be brought. A wastepaper basket is not the proper place for Petitions, although I must say that I did not hear that remark myself.
§ Mr. ShurmerI suggest that they should help to keep the fires going through Christmas.
§ Major Legge-BourkeOn a point of Order. The hon. Member for Sparkbrook (Mr. Shurmer) has just said, within the hearing of most Members of the House, that these Petitions should be placed on the fire. Is it in Order, Sir, for a Member to make these suggestions, and is it not a fact that a Petition is one of the greatest rights still open to a citizen of this country, which ought to be preserved more and more as the days go by?
§ Mr. SpeakerIt is perfectly true that Petitions are an ancient right, but I cannot help the somewhat irrelevant interruptions which take place, not only from one side but from all parts of the House.