§
Ordered,
That, at the sitting on Tuesday 26th July, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 15 (Prayers against statutory instruments, &c. (negative procedure)), Motions in the name of Mr. Neil Kinnock relating to Social Security may be proceeded with, though opposed, for one and a half hours after the first of them has been entered upon; and if proceedings thereon have not been previously disposed of, Mr. Speaker shall then put successively the Question already proposed from the Chair and the Questions on such of the remaining Motions as may then be made.
That, at the sitting on Wednesday 27th July, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1)(b) of Standing Order No. 14 (Exempted business) and Standing Order No. 15 (Prayers against statutory instruments, &c. (negative procedure)), Motions in the name of Mr. Neil Kinnock relating to Building Societies, Education and Immigration, in the name of Mr. Secretary Hurd relating to Police, and in the name of Mr. Secretary Channon relating to Social Legislation relating to Road Transport may be proceeded with, though opposed, for one and half hours after each of them has been entered upon, and if proceedings thereon have not been entered upon, and if proceedings thereon have not been previously disposed of, Mr. Speaker shall, at the expiration of that period, put forthwith the Question thereon.—[Mr. Dorrell.]
§ Mr. John McWilliam (Blaydon)On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I apologise for intervening at this point, because I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) has an important Adjournment debate. It seems, however, that we are in some difficulty.
Under the Representation of the People Acts, the acceptance of an office of profit under the Crown means that an hon. Member automatically demits his seat as a Member of the House. According to a report today by the Press Association, the right hon. and learned Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Brittan) has informed the Prime Minister in the past few days that he will take on the £95,000 a year post of Vice-President and Commissioner in the European Economic Community. It seems to me that when he said that he would accept that, he had accepted an office of profit under the Crown and was therefore no longer entitled to sit in the House, let alone speak in it.
§ Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Paul Dean)Order. It is not possible for me to adjudicate on the matter now, but due note will be taken of the point that the hon. Gentleman has made.