§ 41. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Lord President of the Council whether he will refer to the Select Committee on Procedure the present methods of voting in the House.
§ Mr. PeartThe Committee's terms of reference already allow it to consider my hon. Friend's suggestion.
§ Mr. LewisIs the Leader of the House aware that leading articles appear every day advising trade unionists to have secret ballots? As the House of Commons cannot have either a secret ballot or an unpressurised vote, will he ask the Committee to consider ways and means of having a really free vote, if need be a secret vote? He would then find that two-thirds of the hon. Members of the House do not want to go into the Common Market.
§ Mr. PeartThat is another matter. I thought my hon. Friend was referring to the Select Committee's report on this.
§ Mr. TapsellIs it true to say that the right hon. Gentleman's real problem is not the method by which his hon. Friends vote, but their frequent refusal to do so?