HC Deb 22 March 1948 vol 448 cc2708-10

Lords Amendment: In page 33, line 29, at end, insert: and to examine any witness before the court and to call witnesses.

Mr. J. Edwards

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

Mr. Derek Walker-Smith (Hertford)

On a point of Order. Was this Amendment, page 33, line 29, at end insert——

Mr. Speaker

That Amendment has been passed.

Mr. Walker-Smith

May I respectfully point out that you asked the Minister whether all these Amendments were of a drafting character.

Mr. Speaker

I asked the right hon. and gallant Gentleman who is in charge on the Front Opposition Bench what he wanted to be called en bloc, and he went down to page 41. I accepted what he said. I do not know if the hon. Member was present at the time, but I accepted what I thought his leader had requested.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I do not depart from anything my right hon. and gallant Friend has put forward, but I was certainly under the impression, and I was possibly not alone in that, that what he said was subject to the assurance for which I understood you, Sir, to ask, that these Amendments were of a drafting character. If I may respectfully ask, can this Amendment be so described?

Mr. Speaker

We cannot go back on what has already passed. I did not ask if they were all drafting. I suggested that they appeared to me to be drafting and if it was for the convenience of the House to put them en bloc. The right hon. and gallant Gentleman, on the Front Opposition Bench, agreed. He accepted all those on page 22 together and I accepted them, then he went on right down to page 41 and said he had no point on them. It is really not a question of whether they are drafting Amendments or not.

Mr. Walker-Smith

Whatever may be the understanding of this House as a whole, I would like at any rate to go on record that I do not accept it.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member missed his opportunity. I said very carefully, page 27, page 31, page 33, page 39. Why did not the hon. Member get up when I said, "Page 39"? I want to be fair to hon. Members and I do not want to waste their time. Surely that was clearly open and the hon. Member might have taken advantage of it.

Mr. Walker-Smith

I can only give the answer that I was in some difficulty in hearing the precise Amendments being put. If I missed it, then I am prepared to accept your Ruling, Mr. Speaker.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

On this occasion it was my mistake. I may have inadvertently given the impression to the hon. Gentleman and the House that I had no opposition as far down as page 43. I think the mistake was mine and I take the responsibility.