Industrial and Provident Societies Amendment Bill. – in the House of Commons am ar 27 Mehefin 1924.
Mr Alfred Barnes
, East Ham South
I beg to move, in page 1 line 18, after the word "cent.", to insert the word "cumulative."
This was an undertaking given to the Committee.
Mr Albert Alexander
, Sheffield, Hillsborough
): I beg to second the Amendment.
Viscount Wolmer
, Aldershot
I beg to move, "That the Debate be now adjourned."
This Bill, I think, passed through Committee yesterday, and, so far as I know, did not appear in its amended form in the Vote Office till this morning. I really do think it is an abuse of the forms of the House that we should be asked to consider a Measure of this importance on Report without having had any opportunity either to consider it adequately or to make such amendments as hon. Members may deem to be necessary. I do not know whether this is a good Bill or not. I believe it is a very good Bill, or, at any rate, it is like the curate's egg—parts of it are excellent.
Mr Alfred Barnes
, East Ham South
Will the Noble Lord allow me to make a statement? If he per- sists in his objection, I will fall in with the point put up, but may I explain that this Bill went through the House on Second Reading unanimously? We obtained the Bill in the Standing Committee in one hour. There was no substantial objection, and it is because of that and because of the general unanimity with regard to it that we ask that we may be allowed to get the Bill to-day.
Viscount Wolmer
, Aldershot
What the hon. Gentleman says makes it all the more important that we should have time to consider this Bill before it passes its final stages. It appears that the Bill, which has been passed through with the rapidity that the hon. Member has stated, may very likely contain very important imperfections which can only be found out if the matter is adequately considered. I think when the hon. Member has been in the House a few years he will realise how very easy it is for this House to enact things, which it never intended, through mere inadvertence. There is no report of the proceedings in Standing Committee C on this Bill. I made inquiry for a report of the proceedings, and, apparently, no shorthand note was taken. Therefore, it is quite impossible for hon. Members who had not the privilege of being on that Committee to know what was said there, and it is of the utmost importance that we should have time to study this Bill and to table any Amendments we might care to raise. After all, the co-operative movement is a movement of the very greatest importance. It is a movement which I desire to encourage very much.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
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 Second Reading is the most important stage for a Bill. It is when the main purpose of a Bill is discussed and voted on. If the Bill passes it moves on to the Committee Stage. Further information can be obtained from factsheet L1 on the UK Parliament website.
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
