– in the House of Commons am ar 24 Gorffennaf 1925.
Mr Albert Alexander
, Sheffield, Hillsborough
We have got through a very good portion of Government business to-day, and I do not think that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury will say that we have been unduly factious in our Opposition. We have assisted the Government in what we recognise to be necessary Bills. At the end of Government Measures there were two or three Private Members' Bills on the Paper. It is generally recognised in this House that Friday, unless it is required for Government business, is a Private Members' day.
Mr Albert Alexander
, Sheffield, Hillsborough
I said when it is not required for Government business. It is recognised that on Friday an opportunity is given for private Members, and such an opportunity now presents itself. It would be much better to give hon. Members an opportunity of placing before the House their views on matters which do not happen to be Government business The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury raised no objection to facilities being given for a Private Member's Bill, the Protection of Animals Bill, the Debate on which the House has decided to adjourn. But immediately the figures of the Division were announced, adjourning the Debate on that Bill, the Government bring forward a, Motion for the Adjournment of the House. I think it is rather hard lines on other private Members whose Bills follow. I hope that as far as possible—and I ask hon. Members to join me in this view—on. a day like this, when time permits, opportunity should be given for private Members to have a chance of discussing their Bills.
Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy
, Kingston upon Hull Central
I think there is a misunderstanding on the part of the hon. Member. On this occasion I acted through the usual channels and approached the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury to know whether he would have any objection to Order No. 17, the Protection of Animals Bill, being discussed, provided that the other business went through in reasonable time. That was done in consultation with the right hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. A. Henderson) and the right hon. Member for Central Edinburgh, (Mr. W. Graham), who at that time were the only right hon. Gentlemen on the Front Opposition Bench. They agreed to that course. Therefore, it is not fair to say that this arrangement was not fully discussed and arrived at. I should have been as anxious as anyone to see the next two Orders taken—in fact, my name is on the back of the Bill which stands at No. 18 on the Order Paper—Employment of Disabled Ex-Service Men Bill, and has done for three years. I am very sorry that it cannot be discussed, but a bargain is a bargain, and, as it was made, I am going to advice my friends to keep to it.
Mr James Maxton
, Glasgow Bridgeton
These bargains are becoming a little trying, particularly when they are made by such an entirely unofficial person as the hon. and gallant Member (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy).
Commander Hon. Joseph Kenworthy
, Kingston upon Hull Central
I happen to have been the acting emissary, but I acted in full co-operation with the hon. Member for Greenock (Sir G. Collins) and the hon. and gallant Member for Montrose (Sir R. Hutchison), two "Whips of my party.
Mr James Maxton
, Glasgow Bridgeton
It will be a very difficult thing if these usual channels are going to begin to flow in unusual places. I wish as much as anyone to preserve a reputation for a high standard of honour. But it is going to be very difficult to be chasing round all the various corners to which we are supposed to go in these days. I was not interested in the Protection of Animals Bill, or in the Employment of Disabled Ex-Service Men Bill, but I was keenly interested in the Trusts and Combines Bill, which is a matter of vital importance, and I think that the House, if it had time, might reasonably have devoted a half-hour to its further discussion and tried to carry it a stage farther. I regret very much that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury has moved the Adjournment, and I hope that the House will not accept the Motion.
| Division No. 319.] | AYES. | [3.8 p.m. |
| Alexander, Sir Wm. (Glasgow, Cent'l) | Drewe, C. | Hilton, Cecil |
| Athol, Duchess of | Edwards, John H. (Accrington) | Hope, Capt. A. O. J. (Warw'k, Nun.) |
| Balniel, Lord | Elliot, Captain Waiter E. | Hopkins, J. W. W. |
| Barclay-Harvey, C. M. | Fairfax, Captain J. G. | Hume, Sir G. H. |
| Beamish, Captain T. P. H. | Fisher, Rt. Hon. Herbert A. L. | Hurst, Gerald B. |
| Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Foster, Sir Harry S. | Jacob, A. E. |
| Benn, Captain Wedgwood (Leith) | Foxcroft, Captain C. T. | Kenworthy, Lt.-Com. Hon. Joseph M. |
| Berry, Sir George | Frece, Sir Walter de | Lamb, J. Q. |
| Bethell, A. | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | McDonnell, Colonel Hon. Angus |
| Bourne, captain Robert Croft | Gaibralth. J. F. W. | McLean, Major A. |
| Bowater, Sir T. Vansittart | Ganzoni, Sir John | Macmillan, Captain H. |
| Burton, Colonel H. W. | Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Margesson, Captain D. |
| Campbell, E. T. | Goff, Sir Park | Mitchell, S. (Lanark, Lanark) |
| Clarry, Reginald George | Grotrian, H. Brent | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) |
| Collins, Sir Godfrey (Greenock) | Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Monsell, Eyres, Com. Rt. Hon. B. M. |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Hall, Vice-Admiral Sir H.(Eastbourne) | Morris, R. H. |
| Couper, J. B. | Hammersley, S. S. | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) |
| Craik, Rt. Hon. sir Henry | Harris, Percy A. | Nicholson, O. (Westminster) |
| Crook, C. W. | Hartington. Marquess of | Nield, Rt. Hon. Sir Herbert |
| Curzon, Captain Viscount | Harvey, G. (Lambeth, Kennington) | Peto, Basil E. (Devon, Barnstaple) |
| Davies, A. V. (Lancaster, Royton) | Harvey, Major S. E. (Devon, Totnes) | Peto, G. (Somerset, Frome) |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Hennessy, Major J. R. G. | Ramsden, E. |
| Remer, J. R. | Steel, Major Samuel Strang | Williams, Com. C. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Richardson, Sir P. W. (Sur'y. Ch'ts'y) | Stuart, Hon. J. (Moray and Nairn) | Williams, Herbert G. (Reading) |
| Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Sanders, Sir Robert A. | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, south) | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Shepperson, E. W. | Thomson, Rt. Hon. Sir W. Mitchell- | Wise, Sir Fredric |
| Skelton, A. N. | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Smith-Carington, Neville W. | Wallace, Captain D. E. | |
| Smithers, Waldron | Warner, Brigadier-General W. W. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) | Watts-Morgan, Lt.-Col. D. (Rhondda) | Major Cope and Lord Stanley. |
| Stanley, Col. Hon, G. F.(Will'sden, E.) | Wells, S. R. | |
| NOES. | ||
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro) | John. William (Rhondda, West) | Smith, Rennie (Penistone) |
| Baker, Walter | Kelly, W. T. | Snell, Harry |
| Barnes, A. | Kennedy, T. | Stephen, Campbell |
| Batey, Joseph | Lansbury, George | Taylor, R. A. |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. John R. | Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Connolly, M. | Naylor, T. E. | Thurtle, E. |
| Edwards, C. (Monmouth, Bedwelty) | Paling, W. | Viant, S. P. |
| Forrest, W. | Robertson, J. (Lanark, Bothwell) | Warne, G. H. |
| Greenwood, A. (Nelson and Colne) | Robinson, W. C. (Yorks, W. R., Elland) | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Hartshorn, Rt. Hon. Vernon | Saklatvala, Shapurji | Windsor, Walter |
| Hayes, John Henry | Shaw, Rt. Hon. Thomas (Preston) | |
| Hirst, G. H. | Shiels, Dr. Drummond | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Smith, Ben (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe) | Mr. Maxton and Mr. Hardie. |
A proposal for new legislation that is debated by Parliament.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
An adjournment is a break in the course of parliamentary business.
The House adjourns at the end of each day's business.
On a daily basis the House adjourns, or breaks, half an hour after the moving of the adjournment debate.
The House is also adjourned for several holiday periods during the session.
The more lengthy adjournments - often coinciding with the academic calendar - are known as recesses.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The order paper is issued daily and lists the business which will be dealt with during that day's sitting of the House of Commons.
It provides MPs with details of what will be happening in the House throughout the day.
It also gives details of when and where the standing committees and select committees of the Commons will be meeting.
Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
The order paper forms one section of the daily vote bundle and is issued by the Vote Office
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
