§ Motion made, and Question proposed,
§ That a Select Committee be appointed to advise Mr. Speaker on the control of the accommodation and services in that part of the Palace of Westminster and its precincts occupied by or on behalf of the House of Commons and to report thereon to this House:
§ That the Committee do consist of Seventeen Members:
§ That Mr. Herbert W. Bowden, Mrs. Braddock, Mr. Henry Brooke, Mr. Donald Chapman, Mr. Chichester-Clark, Sir Myer Galpern, Mr. William Hamling, Mr. Michael Jopling, Mr. Harold Lever, Sir Frank Pearson, Dame Edith Pitt, Mr. Edward Short, Mr. Sydney Silverman, Mr. David Steel, Dr. Shirley Summerskill, Mr. William Whitelaw and Sir Gerald Wills be Members of the Committee:
§ That Five be the Quorum:
§ That the Second Special Report from the Select Committee on Publications and Debates Reports in the last Session of Parliament be referred to the Committee:
§ That the Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records; to sit notwithstanding any Adjournment of the House; and to report from time to time:
§ That the Committee have power to appoint Sub-Committees and to refer to such Sub-Committees any of the matters referred to the Committee:
§ That every such Sub-Committee do consist of Two Members of the Committee, together with not more than Five Members nominated by the House, after the Committee shall have made recommendations thereon:
§ That Three be the Quorum of every such Sub-Committee:
§ That every such Sub-Committee have power to send for persons, papers and records; to sit notwithstanding any Adjournment of the House; and to report to the Committee from time to time:
293§ That the Committee have power to report from time to time the Minutes of Evidence taken before Sub-Committees and reported by them to the Committee.—[Mr. Lawson.]
§ 5.48 p.m.
§ Mr. Julian Snow (Lichfield and Tamworth)I seek elucidation on one point on the subject of accommodation. I understand that this Select Committee will be restricted to that which is at present occupied. Is there not a case for the examination of accommodation within the Palace that could be occupied but which is inadequately occupied at present?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Bowden)The House will recall that when agreement was reached when Her Majesty advised Mr. Speaker that she was graciously pleased to divide up the Palace of Westminster, it was considered important that the Select Committee should look at the question of the House of Commons side of the accommodation of the Palace of Westminster, and the Report will deal with that. The Select Committee now to be appointed is purely to control the House of Commons side of the Palace.
Nevertheless, it is hoped that a joint Committee of both sides—the other place and the House of Commons side—will be set up fairly soon to consider joint matters.
§ Question put and agreed to.