HC Deb 29 April 1953 vol 514 cc2158-60

The House proceeded to Ballot—

Mr. Speaker

Sir Herbert Williams.

Sir W. Darling

On a point of order. My hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams) left me just now to keep an appointment at 4 o'clock, but I can communicate his Resolution to the House.

Hon. Members

No.

Mr. Speaker

Has the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Sir W. Darling) authorisation from the hon. Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams)?

Sir W. Darling

No. Sir, but my hon. Friend said that he was leaving and asked whether I would speak for him if his name was called in the Ballot. He gave me no other authorisation.

Mr. Speaker

We will proceed to the next Ballot.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

On a point of order. I submit that that is authorisation. [HON. MEMBERS: "NO."] If my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams) left the House and asked my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Sir W. Darling) to move his Resolution for him, that is authorisation. If my name were called in the Ballot I would certainly consider it authorisation if a deputy acted for me, and if he did not I would consider that he had failed in his duty.

Mr. Speaker

I hope the House will forgive me, but because of the noise I could not properly hear what the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South said. Do I understand that the hon. Member for Croydon, East asked the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South to speak in his place on this matter?

Sir W. Darling

No, he did not.

Mr. Speaker

What did he say?

Sir W. Darling

Perhaps I may explain what happened, Sir. My hon. Friend was sitting next to me and he protested against the prolonged discussion on the matter raised just now with the Prime Minister. On leaving the Chamber he said to me, "I am in for the Ballot, but I will miss it."

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Croydon, East was quite right.

Later

Mr. Nabarro

On a point of order. May I ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker, in connection with the absence of my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams), who was obliged to leave the Chamber to keep an urgent appointment with the Lord Great Chamberlain, who could not be kept waiting. I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to recall that two weeks ago those of my hon. Friends and I who had their names down for the Ballot for Notices of Motions were still sitting in our places at 20 minutes to five, having waited an hour and 10 minutes for the Ballot to take place. Is it possible to institute machinery to investigate the possibility of an alternative method of carrying out the Ballot, so that hon. Members may take their chance in the draw at a specified time without being kept in the Chamber for a period of up to 1¼ hours, thereby missing other important engagements?

Mr. Pannell

Before you reply to that, Mr. Speaker, may I recall to the House that on a previous occasion I was in the same difficulty with my hon. Friend the Member for The Wrekin (Mr. I. O. Thomas). On that ocasion you gave a Ruling that if a Member, prior to his departure from the Chamber, asked another Member quite specifically to submit the matter which he wished to raise you would give way to that hon. Member. On that occasion I was not able to do it, and my hon. Friend the Member for The Wrekin suffered in the same way as the hon. Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams). There is nothing of a party nature in this matter.

Mr. Speaker

We cannot debate this matter now, but the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Pannell) is quite right. That is the procedure of the House, and that is why I was so particular in asking the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South what the true position was. I may say that our proceedings are based generally upon the idea that hon. Members are continuously in their places in this House.