HC Deb 25 October 1955 vol 545 cc57-8
Mr. Speaker

Will Members desiring to take their seats please come to the Table?

The hon. and gallant Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Lieut.-Colonel Robert George Grosvenor) came to the Table to be sworn.

Mr. Delargy

I spy strangers.

Mr. C. Pannell

On a point of order—

Mr. Speaker

Order. There can be no point of order until the hon. and gallant Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone has taken his seat.

Mr. Pannell

I thought he had to have sponsors.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member is asking about sponsors. This gentleman was elected at the General Election.

The following Member took and subscribed the Oath:

Lieut.-Colonel Robert George Grosvenor, for Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

New Member Sworn:

Charles Beattie, esquire, for Mid-Ulster.

Mr. Speaker

I think I should point out to the House that when an hon. Member has been called upon to take his seat it is a matter of Privilege and there should be no interruption of his progress to the Table. I gather that the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. C. Pannell) wondered why the hon. and gallant Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone had no sponsors while the hon. Member for Mid-Ulster had. The reason was that the first of these hon. Members who appeared before us is presumed by the judges' determination to have been elected at the General Election, and no hon. Member elected at a General Election requires sponsors, whereas after a by-election it has become the custom of the House to require sponsors.

Mr. Pannell

Thank you for your explanation, Mr. Speaker. May I ask whether the hon. and gallant Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone picks up his Parliamentary salary plus £2 a day from the date of the Election?

Mr. Speaker

I do not know about the position in the meantime.