HC Deb 19 October 1976 vol 917 cc1116-8
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. There are two categories of error which appear on the Notice Paper. One is where, through carelessness, the printer omits words or, indeed, complete lines, as has happened in the case of a motion tabled yesterday by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Huntingdonshire (Sir D. Renton). There are also cases where, apparently, the printer believes himself to be at liberty to doctor motions which have been accepted by the Table Office before printing them.

I must ask you to issue definite instructions to the printer that he is not to doctor or alter motions which have been accepted by the Table Office and, where this has been done, to reprint them in the form in which they were tabled and accepted by the Table Office.

I brought into your office this morning a photostat of a motion which I tabled last night and which was accepted. It has been altered by the printer, I am informed by the Table Office, so that it is now nonsense. I must ask that it be reprinted in the form in which I tabled it on my behalf and that of six of my colleagues, in which form it read, under the heading "South West Water Authority as follows: That this House, recognising that neither the consumers nor many of their elected representatives in Parliament or in local authorities retain any confidence in the ability of the South West Water Authority to discharge its proper functions in an efficient, understanding and acceptable manner while its existing Chairman remains in office, calls upon the Secretary of State to replace the present Chair man before 1st January 1977 with somebody who can restore public confidence.

Sir David Renton

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Although I accept that one Renton is as good as another, may I point out that the motion referred to in my hon. Friend's first example was tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton)?

Mr. Tim Renton

Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wish to support what my hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton (Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop) said. The motion relating to his first complaint was tabled by me and its purpose was to call for the instant dismissal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As it reads from the printer, it appears to suggest that the Chancellor of the Exchequer should last for only a few weeks. That was not our intention.

Mr. Heffer

May we assume that the motion is now a hybrid?

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Tiverton (Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop) gave me notice of this intention to raise this matter. There was a mistake in the printing. It will be put right. I am quite sure that the whole House may have confidence that the printers would not seek to doctor or alter any motion. What the hon. Member for Tiverton said will he read, and I give the assurance that the necessary correction will be made.