– in the House of Commons am ar 28 Gorffennaf 1922.
Mr James Hogge
, Edinburgh East
There is a great temptation to make a speech on the Third Reading of a Bill dealing with education in Scotland but I am not going to fall to that temptation this afternoon. Before we part with the Bill, I should like to say, on my own behalf and on behalf of my Scottish colleagues on this side—and I dare say it would apply to my Scottish colleagues on the other side —that a great deal of misrepresentation with regard to the teachers' attitude in Scotland has arisen as the result of the English Bill. We always had a contributory scheme of pensions in Scotland, and it was not until the English Board of Education interfered with the existing status in England that any change became necessary in Scotland. The conclusion that all of us can draw from that fact is, that if the English Education Department would cease interfering in such a way as to affect Scottish education, we should be grateful, and also that it is a strong argument in favour of Scotland being allowed to look after its own affairs, particularly this affair of education, which has been our concern for so many years, with such great success to the children of Scotland. Before the Bill goes to the other House, T think we ought to acknowledge the fact that the Scottish teachers have approached this matter in a most reasonable frame of mind, and have been subjected to misrepresentations which are not fair, and which arose because of the interference of the English Board of Education.
In a normal session there are up to ten standing committees on bills. Each has a chair and from 16 to 50 members. Standing committee members on bills are appointed afresh for each new bill by the Committee of Selection which is required to take account of the composition of the House of Commons (ie. party proportions) as well as the qualification of members to be nominated. The committees are chaired by a member of the Chairmen's Panel (whose members are appointed by the Speaker). In standing committees the Chairman has much the same function as the Speaker in the House of Commons. Like the Speaker, a chairman votes only in the event of a tie, and then usually in accordance with precedent. The committees consider each bill clause by clause and may make amendments. There are no standing committees in the House of Lords.
The other chamber of Parliament, i.e. the House of Lords when said in the Commons, and the House of Commons when said in the Lords.
