§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (VISCOUNT MORLEY)My Lords, in moving the Second Reading of this Bill I think, perhaps, it may be expected that I should say a single word upon the fact that it is not a Money Bill. By the j Parliament Act which we passed this year it is provided in the third subsection of the first clause—the language is very familiar to us all—that "there shall be endorsed on every Money Bill when it is sent up to the House of Lords a certificate of the Speaker of the House of Commons, signed by him, that it is a Money Bill." The Finance Bill in the present instance is not so endorsed by the Speaker, and therefore it does not come within the class of Money Bills. It comes before your Lordships like any other Bill. It is not for me—and it would be highly improper if I were to attempt it—to conjecture what parts of the Bill have moved the Speaker to withhold his certificate that it is a Money Bill. There, are about five clauses in the Bill—Clauses 4, 6, 7, and, I think, Clauses 13 and 18—which deal with matters that possibly might be construed, and possibly the Speaker has so construed them, as going beyond a mere money provision. Of course, we cannot go behind the fact that the Bill has not got this needed endorsement. I do not think I need go further in moving the Second Reading of the Bill.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Viscount Morley.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a.
§ Committee negatived: Then (Standing Order No. XXXIX having been suspended) Bill read 3a, and passed.