FILMS BILL (Hansard, 2 March 1970)

§ Mr. Speaker
I have posted, as is my custom—

§ Mr. John Hay (Henley)
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. When Mr. Speaker is on his feet, hon. Members sit.
I have posted, as is my custom, the Amendments which I have selected to be discussed tonight.

§ Mr. John Hay (Henley)
On a point of Order. I beg to move, That the Films Bill, not amended in the Standing Committee, be recommitted to a Standing Committee. I move this Motion under the provisions of Standing Order No. 50 and the combined effect of Standing Order No. 52, which enables the mover briefly to explain why the Bill should be recommitted. I do this because of the very short amount of time that we have been allowed between the close of the Committee stage and the taking of consideration tonight.
The Committee stage of the Bill concluded on Tuesday of last week, and here we are on Monday, only three working days later, one of which was a Friday, required to deal with the Amendments on Report. I think it unreasonable of the Government to have taken the Report stage of the Bill so soon after the close of the Committee stage. It seems to me that the correct course is for the Bill to be recommitted to the Standing Committee.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade (Mrs. Gwyneth Dun-woody)
I must very firmly oppose any such move. I ask the House to consider carefully what we are being asked to do. The Bill has come to the Floor of the House quickly, but the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Hay) will, I am sure, accept that we have had a great deal of detailed discussion about the various points; in fact, hon., Members opposite have themselves put down a series of Amendments which they wish to debate tonight.
170 The Bill is not controversial. It has been very fully discussed in Committee and I therefore strongly oppose the Motion.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The Standing Orders provide for one speech for the Recommittal and one speech against.
Question put and negatived.

§ Mr. Speaker
As I was saying, I have posted, as is my wont, the Amendments which I have selected to be discussed. The first one is new Clause 1, with which I suggest we take new Clause 3.

§ Mr. Hugh Jenkins (Putney)
On a point of order. I note that you have not, unfortunately, Sir, selected for discussion either new Clause 4 or new Clause 8, in the names of my hon. Friend the Member for Wandsworth, Central (Dr. David Kerr) and myself. Since these Clauses deal with an item which is not otherwise covered and has not been discussed in Committee, may I ask why you have decided not to select them?

§ Mr. Speaker
The lion. Gentleman is on an utterly false point of order. Mr. Speaker never explains to the House why he selects certain Amendments and does not select others. The hon. Gentleman is disappointed. That is not unusual in the case of any hon. Member who puts down an Amendment for debate on Consideration and has not had his Amendment selected. It is not for Mr. Speaker to enlighten the hon. Gentleman as to why he does not choose a certain Amendment.

§ Mr. Hugh Jenkins
Further to that point of order. I fully accept, of course, Mr. Speaker, your statement that I am not to be enlightened on this subject. I would only say that I had hoped to discuss these matters fully so as to express the hope that, in another place, it would be possible to discuss them.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Hope springs eternal in the human breast.