§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)I have it in command from His Majesty to acquaint the House, that his Majesty having been informed of the subject matter of the Motion empowering a Member of the Chairman's Panel to act as Speaker gives His Consent thereto.
The House may be aware of the regrettable illness of the Deputy-Chairman, the hon. Member for Batley and Morley (Mr. Hubert Beaumont), which we trust will not be unduly prolonged. In order that Mr. Speaker and the Chairman of Ways and Means may receive some relief in the Chair, the hon. Member for Newton (Sir Robert Young) has kindly agreed to act temporarily as Deputy-Chairman. I hope that this arrangement will commend itself to the House.
I beg to move,
That during the absence of the Deputy Chairman owing to illness the hon. Member for the County of Lancaster (Newton Division) shall be entitled to exercise all the powers vested in the Deputy-Chairman, including his powers as Deputy-Speaker.
§ Captain Crookshank (Gainsborough)In the circumstances, we shall certainly not oppose this Motion, and we would like from these benches to express our sympathy with the Deputy-Chairman in his illness and the hope that he will soon be able to resume his public duties.
§ Question put, and agreed to.