HC Deb 05 February 1953 vol 510 cc2039-40
Mr. Speaker

I have a short statement with which to trouble the House. The hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Pannell) yesterday asked me to rule on a Question asked by the hon. Member for Walton (Mr. K. Thompson) on the ground that that hon. Member was personally interested in the abolition of rationing and of price control of sugar confectionery and did not declare his interest. I said I had never heard before of a Question being objected to on this ground, and promised to consider the matter.

I find that there is no rule of the House applying to Questions to Ministers of the kind suggested by the hon. Member for Leeds, West. Members frequently declare their interest—any interest they may have—when they speak in debate, but the rule of the House applies only to their votes. Even with regard to votes the rule is extremely narrow, and only one incident is recorded in the Journals of the votes of Members being disallowed by the House on this ground. On 17th July, 1811, Mr. Speaker Abbott said: The interest must be a direct pecuniary interest and separately belonging to the persons whose votes were questioned and not in common with the rest of His Majesty's subjects, or a matter of State policy. It is clear that the rationing of sugar confectionery is an interest held in common with the rest of Her Majesty's subjects and a matter of State policy. It follows from what I have said that there was no impropriety in the Question of the hon. Member for Walton.

Mr. K. Thompson

I personally am very grateful to you, Mr. Speaker, as I am sure are all hon. Members of the House, that this matter has been put on a very clear and firm basis. Now it is quite recognised that any hon. Member of this House is able, and expected to be able, to separate his personal interest from his public duty.

Mr. Wyatt

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order, I am not making any rule. I am merely declaring what the rule of the House is.

Mr. Wyatt

On a point of order. In order that your Ruling may be absolutely clear, Mr. Speaker—[HON. MEMBERS: "It is clear."]—does one take it that it is not necessary for a Member to declare his interest when he makes a speech, and can you explain to the House in what form a Member declares his interest before he casts his vote, if he does not make a speech?

Mr. Speaker

There is a custom whereby hon. Members, in making speeches, if they have an interest, declare it. I think myself that that has grown up as a matter of custom because hon. Members desire to be frank with their fellow Members, and it is sometimes a matter of prudence, in case an hon. Member should be suspected of unavowed motives. But the rule of the House—I am dealing only with that—is with regard only to votes of hon. Members. If an hon. Member votes on a matter in which he has a private interest within the narrow limits I have stated, he may have his vote disallowed by the House. That is the answer to the question.