HC Deb 26 July 1977 vol 936 cc330-1

4.36 p.m.

Mr. Fred Silvester (Manchester, Withington)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to provide that charges on the public revenue relating to the internal management of the House of Commons shall not require to be recommended from the Crown; and for connected purposes. Few hon. Members would choose this occasion to raise a Ten-Minute Bill. I shall, therefore, be extremely brief, but I wish to make one simple point, which is the purpose of the Bill, and it is not unreasonable on this occasion, which is devoted to House of Commons matters, that it should be made today.

The purpose of the Bill is to rectify a practice that has continued over many years and about which the Government still do nothing. The hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Cunningham) has today cited an example which has arisen as a pinprick arising out of this situation.

Briefly, the position is that this House has no right to initiate expenditure. That is regarded as a bulwark of the constitution and I would not challenge it generally, but it also applies to matters relating to this House. It has always seemed to me an absurdity that this House should not have control over its own expenditure and that it should be constantly referred to civil servants and members of the Treasury and largely to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It seems to me an improper control over the affairs of the House. It is about time that it was put right.

The report of the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bottomley) has been before the House since 1974. The Government said that they would be accepting its main conclusions. I personally do not think that the report goes far enough.

I am well aware that this Bill has no chance of succeeding. Therefore, I shall pipe down now. However, I hope that by raising the matter at the end of this Session I shall at least make the plea that when the Government come to draw up their business for next Session, they will take seriously the implementation of the Bottomley proposals.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Fred Silvester.