HC Deb 24 April 1952 vol 499 cc746-879

[1ST ALLOTTED DAY]

Considered in Committee [Progress, 9th April].

[Colonel Sir CHARLES MACANDREW in the Chair]

4.11 p.m.

Mr. Eric Fletcher (Islington, East)

On a point of order. Mr. Speaker having just given a very important Ruling and having now left the Chair, I should like to make this comment on his Ruling, for which I am sure the Committee is very grateful and would no doubt accept. Is it not a very odd circumstance, and a reflection upon Mr. Speaker, that the Government should apparently have anticipated Mr. Speaker's Ruling by having printed on today's Order Paper today as the First Allotted Day, without knowing what Mr. Speaker's Ruling would be? Second, is it not also a great reflection on the rights of the House and on the responsibilities of Mr. Speaker that the Leader of the House should have announced as part of next week's business that the House will proceed to the consideration of this Bill on the Report stage, on the assumption that Mr. Speaker would give a Ruling of which the Government could not possibly have had any knowledge?

The Chairman

That is certainly a very interesting point, which I cannot possibly answer. It is not a point of order.

    cc746-77
  1. Clause 1.—(CHARGES FOR CERTAIN DRUGS, MEDICINES AND APPLIANCES.) 12,480 words, 1 division
    2. cc777-839
  2. Clause 2.—(CHARGES FOR DENTAL TREATMENT.) 24,801 words, 2 divisions
    3. cc839-51
  3. Clause 3.—(POWER TO VARY OR ABOLISH CERTAIN CHARGES.) 3,447 words
    4. cc861-9
  4. Clause 5.—(EVASION OF CHARGES.) 6,234 words, 2 divisions
    5. cc851-61
  5. Clause 4.—(MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS.) 3,288 words
    6. cc869-75
  6. Clause 6.—(SUPPLEMENTARY AND CONSEQUENTIAL PROVISIONS.) 2,663 words, 1 division
    7. cc875-9
  7. Clause 8.—(SHORT TITLE, CITATION, COMMENCEMENT, AND EXTENT.) 2,408 words, 1 division
    8. c879
  8. New Clause.—(POWER TO REMIT CHARGES FOR DENTURES SUPPLIED BY TEACHING HOSPITALS.) 203 words