Oral Answers to Questions — British Broadcasting Company. – in the House of Commons am ar 14 Gorffennaf 1925.
Sir Robert Gower
, Hackney Central
asked the Undersecretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that in an invitation extended by the Office of Works to leather dealers to tender estimates for the supply of morocco for re-upholstering the benches of the House of Lords it is stipulated that the animals from whose skins such morocco is made must be of European origin, and that the effect of such stipulation is to prevent skins produced in the British Empire being the subject of such estimates; and whether he will withdraw such stipulation and substitute for it one requiring that such leather must be Empire produced?
Mr Godfrey Locker-Lampson
, Wood Green
No invitations to tender for morocco for the benches of the House of Lords have yet been issued, and no stipulation is proposed which would prevent tenderers from submitting skins produced in the British Empire.
Mr Henry Croft
, Bournemouth
Will there not be a stipulation that these skins shall be produced in the British Empire?
Mr Godfrey Locker-Lampson
, Wood Green
I think one must have some regard to what quantity and standard can be produced.
Sir William Davison
, Kensington South
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that 90 per cent. of the goatskins coming into this country come from the British Empire or India, and does he not think that from that large percentage sufficiently good skins can be got for this purpose?
Mr Godfrey Locker-Lampson
, Wood Green
I very much hope that we shall be able to use skins from the British Empire.
Sir William Davison
, Kensington South
Will not the hon. Gentleman insist upon British skins being used for this purpose?
Mr Henry Croft
, Bournemouth
Provided he is satisfied that the skins are of equal quality, will the hon. Gentleman make a stipulation that they shall be produced within the British Empire?
Mr Godfrey Locker-Lampson
, Wood Green
If the skins are of good quality, certainly British Empire skins will be used.
Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha
, Plymouth, Devonport
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the very word "Morocco" suggests that this article cannot be produced in the British Empire?
Mr Ernest Thurtle
, Shoreditch
Is the hon. Gentleman quite satisfied that all the skins of the Noble Lords are British?
The house of Lords is the upper chamber of the Houses of Parliament. It is filled with Lords (I.E. Lords, Dukes, Baron/esses, Earls, Marquis/esses, Viscounts, Count/esses, etc.) The Lords consider proposals from the EU or from the commons. They can then reject a bill, accept it, or make amendments. If a bill is rejected, the commons can send it back to the lords for re-discussion. The Lords cannot stop a bill for longer than one parliamentary session. If a bill is accepted, it is forwarded to the Queen, who will then sign it and make it law. If a bill is amended, the amended bill is sent back to the House of Commons for discussion.
The Lords are not elected; they are appointed. Lords can take a "whip", that is to say, they can choose a party to represent. Currently, most Peers are Conservative.
