§ 48. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Lord President of the Council whether he is prepared to introduce amendments to Standing Orders so as to permit the tabling by hon. Members of Questions for oral answer during the early days of an emergency recall of Parliament.
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)I have given sympathetic consideration to this suggestion, but I do not think such an amendment of Standing Orders would be desirable. An emergency Sitting of the House is often called at short notice and the length of the Sitting cannot be known in advance. Any amendment of Standing Orders to permit the tabling of Questions during the early days of such a Sitting would necessarily be cumbrous, as it would have to distinguish between Sittings called at short or long notice and would have to cover other unforeseeable circumstances.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterCan the Lord President say why, if there is no difficulty in Questions being tabled up to 48 hours before an ordinary Sitting of Parliament, any particular difficulty should arise when it happens to be an emergency Sitting; and is he satisfied that emergency Sittings have now become a regular feature of the Summer Recess, and that it is just at these moments that it is most important that hon. Members should have an opportunity of making sure that Ministers have done their duty?
§ Mr. MorrisonI do not admit that emergency Sittings have become an ordinary feature of the Summer Recess. There is nothing fixed or settled about it, and it is very difficult to see in advance what the circumstances will be. I assure the House that I have been sympathetic about it, but on the whole, I think it would be an unwise departure to make.
§ Sir Herbert WilliamsWould the right hon. Gentleman give us an assurance that in future we shall not have at least one month's notice of an emergency Sitting?
§ Mr. MorrisonThat is another point.