HC Deb 29 June 1966 vol 730 cc1787-8
36. Mr. Winnick

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move to refer to the Select Committee on Procedure the existing practice of describing Members not by their names but by title and constituency.

Mr. Bowden

The Select Committee can, if it wishes, look at this question.

Mr. Winnick

Would not the Lord President agree that in this day and age, the sort of terms by which we describe each other, "hon. Member", "right hon. Member", "learned" and "gallant" are rather outdated? Would he not agree that if our practice were somewhat different and we could describe ourselves as we should, by our names, it is hardly likely that we should ask for the present system to be used? Could we not be somewhat radical in our approach to this matter?

Mr. Bowden

I have already said that the Select Committee on Procedure might look at this if it wishes, but I remind the House that the convention that no hon. Member should refer to another hon. Member by name avoids all appearance of personality in debate while it does encourage personal exchanges.

Mr. Hogg

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that anything which adds to the dignity and courtesy of our proceedings should not be lightly abandoned? Will he take it that we on this side of the House at any rate would be extremely sorry to see the rather ill-advised suggestion by his hon. Friend accepted, or even considered?

Mr. Bowden

I cannot go beyond saying that the Select Committee can look at this matter if it wishes. We would, of course, have to alter the Standing Order as to the naming of hon. Members if we did this.

Mr. St. John-Stevas

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that, unlike his hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Mr. Winnick), most of us on this side of the House are extremely proud to be associated with the names of our constituencies?

Mr. Shinwell

If by any chance the Committee decided in its discretion that we should call each other by names, can we at the same time say what we think of them?