§ Proceedings on the Motions relating to Procedure exempted, at this day's
| That the matters of the recommittal of Bills to Committees of the whole House; of the operation of sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 1A (Exemptions from Standing Order No. 1 (Sittings of the House)) in relation to Consolidated Fund Bills; of renaming Standing Committees; of the application of Standing Order No 95A (Statutory Instruments, &c, (Procedure)) to motions for affirmative resolution; and of paragraph (4) of Standing Order No. 8 (Questions to Members) in relation to Mondays, being matters relating to the procedure in the public business of the House, be referred to the Select Committee on Procedure. |
§ This Motion has the effect of remitting a series of five questions to the Select Committee on Procedure. In the last year or so hon. Members on both sides of the House have put to me 10 or a dozen cases which might be appropriate for reference to the Select Committee on Procedure. This is merely a selection from those, and, of course, there have been the usual discussions through the usual channels on them.
§ I do not really propose to say anything on these five matters, all of which are rather technical. Other matters are not, by the House passing this procedural Motion, excluded. I do not know, Mr. Speaker, if it is in order for me to make reference to the Amendment standing in the name of the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) or whether it is proposed to select it.
§ Mr. SpeakerI propose to select the Amendment. I hope that the House will deal with the two Amendments standing in the name of the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Emrys Hughes) together so that the debate will not be thereby narrowed; those two Amendments being, in line 6, leave out "and".
In line 7, after "Mondays" insert:
and the question whether Members who wish to abstain on any motion should have the right to have their abstentions recorded in the Official Report".
Mr. MacleodI am grateful to you, Mr. Speaker, for that, and I am also full of admiration for the way in which you are seized of the proceedings of this House almost before you arrived.
In referring to the Amendment, I think that it may be an appropriate matter
§ Sitting, from the provisions of Standing Order No. 1 (Sittings of the House).—[Mr. Iain Macleod.]