§ 38. Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will propose the establishment of a Select Committee on Procedure to consider the procedure governing private Members' motions.
§ Mr. BiffenI hope to bring forward very shortly proposals for the establishment of a Select Committee on Procedure. If these are agreed to by the House, it will be open to the Committee to review any aspect of our procedures.
§ Sir John Biggs-DavisonDeclaring a non-interest as one who drew lucky in the ballot for private Members' motions, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will give favourable consideration to the proposal that I have put forward on a number of occasions, in vain, that Members of the House should be given a better chance in the ballot by those who are successful having their names withdrawn for the Session or Parliament?
§ Mr. BiffenI took note of my hon. Friend's remarks at the beginning of his speech in a recent debate that he initiated on this topic. However, the matter should be considered further within the answer that I have given.
§ Mr. MasonInstead of considering another Select Committee, will the Leader of the House consider abolishing the lot?
§ Mr. BiffenI suppose that that would provide a natural break in the sequence of events in our affairs. I shall give quite serious consideration to that point, but not until the next Select Committee has been established.
§ Mr. Robert C. BrownDoes the Leader of the House agree that as long as there is time for private Members' motions, Front Bench speakers should have no right to abuse private Members' time, as they have increasingly tended to do?
§ Mr. BiffenAll I can say is that it is an abuse, if that it be, practised by the Administration of which the hon. Gentleman was privileged to be a member.