§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Bowden)I beg to move,
That, during the absence through illness of Mr. Speaker, Sir Harry Legge-Bourke shall be appointed an additional Deputy-Chairman of Ways and Means and shall be entitled to exercise all the powers vested in the Deputy-Chairman of Ways and Means, including his powers as Deputy-Speaker.I have it in command from Her Majesty to acquaint the House that Her Majesty, having been informed of the subject matter of this Motion empowering a member of the Chairmen's Panel to act as Speaker, gives Her consent thereto.The need for this Motion, as the House will know, is that Mr. Speaker has undergone an operation which we are all glad to see from reports has been successful.[HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] If the House will agree to this proposal that an additional Deputy-Chairman should be appointed until Mr. Speaker is able to resume his duties—and there is reason to hope that this will be for only a very short period—two desirable purposes will have been served.
First, the necessary relief would be provided for the Chairman of Ways and Means and his deputy, and secondly, we shall be avoiding the hazards which would be involved if there were to be, unfortunately, a further indisposition reducing the number of occupants of the upper Chair to one.
It is in these circumstances that the hon. Member for the Isle of Ely (Sir H. Legge-Bourke)—and I mention this with gratitude to him—has very kindly agreed to act as an additional Deputy-Chairman. I commend the Motion to the House.
§ Question put and agreed to.