HC Deb 11 July 1977 vol 935 cc28-9
39. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Lord President of the Council what plans he has for increasing time available on the Floor of the Commons next Session for Private Members' Bills and motions.

Mr. Foot

None.

Mr. Hamilton

That is disappointing. Does my right hon. Friend realise that there will be ample scope for increasing Private Members' time on motions next Session and that this will be a time for him to exert his well-known championship of the rights of the Private Member?

Mr. Foot

When we come to the next Session, and, I expect, the subsequent Session, we propose that we should provide the same amount of Private Members' time as has been provided by successive Governments for a number of years. My hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) is a great exponent of the art, and I can assure him that there will be plenty of opportunity for discussion of Private Members' Bills.

Mr. John Page

In view of the fact that there might not be a next Session, will the Leader of the House give an assurance that Private Members' Bills which may even today be returning from the other place with Lords amendments to be considered here will be given a great deal of consideration and time during the current Session?

Mr. Foot

All these Bills will be given the normal treatment. As to the fantasies about the next Session, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that not one hon. Member will be led astray by such a hyperbolical statement.

Mr. George Cunningham

Will my right hon. Friend promise that before he tables the motion next Session about Private Members' Bills and motions he will consult hon. Members in all parts of the House, particularly about the division between the time given to Bills and the time given to motions? Does he agree that Private Members' Bill time usually results in something whereas Private Members' motions usually result in absolutely nothing?

Mr. Foot

There is a good deal in what my hon. Friend says. I am prepared to consult to see whether we can alter the balance. If that were to be done, it would have to be done with the concurrence of Private Members generally. I shall consult before the next Session.

Mr. Beith

Has the Leader of the House yet managed to work out how many Private Members' Bills have been aided by Government time since 1964? Is it not wrong that major social issues such as abortion cannot be provided with adequate time without Government assistance? How does he propose to remedy that situation in the next Session?

Mr. Foot

I should not comment on a Bill that is going through. It is right for the Government to apply normal procedures to the allocation of time. That is what we have been doing. If we were to do what some hon. Members and newspapers have urged—if the Government were to intervene on this particular Bill in the way suggested—that would involve a serious infringement of the rights of other hon. Members. If the House wants to change the whole procedure of Private Members' Bills, that is one thing, but they should not ask me to change the procedure on a particular occasion and then attack me not having changed the procedure to suit a particular circumstance.