HC Deb 15 January 1990 vol 165 cc16-7
54. Mr. Allen

To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to invoke the use of the provisions of Standing Order No. 10.

The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Geoffrey Howe)

I have no such plans.

Mr. Allen

The Lord President will be aware that Standing Order No. 10 which related to the possibility of adjourning the House and resuming on a morning sitting has been in disuse for nearly 20 years. It was introduced by one of his predecessors, Richard Crossman. After that 20-year gap, does he consider that it is time to look again at the relevance of a similar Standing Order, either by revamping or reinstituting Standing Order No. 10 or by some similar measure, so that hon. Members can proceed with business more rationally?

Sir Geoffrey Howe

It is unusual for the hon. Gentleman to express such enthusiasm for a matter on which there has already been an experiment which failed. Standing Order No. 10 was introduced in 1967—

Mr. Allen

I was at school then.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The hon. Gentleman may have been at school then—

Mr. Allen

Primary school.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

So much the better for the hon. Gentleman. The Standing Order has not been used since 1969. It was found to be inconvenient, not just by Ministers but by hon. Members on both sides of the House to reassemble the House the following morning. It broke the continuity of the debate and did not work. I see no case for re-examining it.

Mr. Conway

Will my right hon. and learned Friend resist any suggestion to adopt the policy advocated by the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), because of the pressure that that would place on Members who represent provincial constituencies a long way from London to base their families in London? That would break the link that many Members find important of living in the communities that they represent rather than in this all-too-dominating capital city?

Sir Geoffrey Howe

My hon. Friend makes a good point. No doubt it was one of the many that led to the disuse of the Standing Order 20 years ago.