HC Deb 24 October 1949 vol 468 cc1101-2

7.42 p.m.

The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Woodburn)

I beg to move, That it be an Instruction to the Scottish Standing Committee that they have power to extend the Bill to England to make provision for reciprocal arrangements in connection with ancillary matters arising from the Bill and the Criminal Justice Act, 1948. This Motion will enable the Scottish Standing Committee, instead of the Standing Orders Committee of the House, to consider amending provisions which will apply beyond Scotland. The Government intend to move these Amendments on the Committee stage. They are machinery provisions which will deal with certain overlapping provisions between England and Scotland and, in order that they shall be dealt with on the Committee stage, it is necessary to have this Motion.

Mr. Gallacher (Fife, West)

I want to be clear on this, because the Order says that the Standing Committee will have power to introduce new Clauses to amend a Bill in relation to England. The Secretary of State for Scotland has remarked that the Government intend to move some Amendments and he seemed to suggest that the matter was out of the hands of the Standing Committee. I want to know if it is possible for me to move a new Clause and if I can move a new Clause in a form which would entail an amendment of the English Act. I should like to be clear as to the position.

Mr. Woodburn

It seems to me that what is in Order is a matter for the Chairman of the Committee, and not for me to decide. What the House are deciding tonight is that supplementary to the normal Standing Orders of the House, the Scottish Standing Committee may be able to amend a Bill in such a way as to deal with the position of Scottish probationers who go to England as with English probationers who go to Scotland and to deal with prisoners and enable them to report to the police in England if they go to England. It is simply a procedural Motion and is for the Chairman of the Committee to administer.

Mr. Gallacher

May I ask for a Ruling on this Motion?

Mr. Deputy-Speaker (Major Milner)

The Secretary of State cannot of course give a Ruling. Quite clearly any facilities thought by the Chairman to be available to the Secretary of State will be available in the normal form to hon. Members in relation to these matters committed to the Scottish Standing Committee.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot (Scottish Universities)

I think the Motion the Secretary of State has put down is one that is reasonable, and we offer no objection to it from this side of the House.