– in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 4 Mawrth 1947.
Mr. De la Bère (Evesham) (seated and covered):
On a point of Order, Mr. Speaker. Owing to the Intervention of senior Members on the front bench, my Questions 50 and 51, which were almost on the very brink of being taken, were not able to be taken. May I have your permission to postpone them to an appro-
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
I quite agree. I think there were some rather exceptional circumstances. I was going to call the hon. Member, and therefore I will allow those Questions to be postponed.
Mr. De la Bère:
May I extend to you my hearty thanks, Mr. Speaker?
| Division No. 101.] | AYES | [3.31 p.m |
| Adams, Richard (Balham) | Daggar, G. | Henderson, Joseph (Ardwick) |
| Adams, W. T. (Hammersmith, South) | Daines, P. | Herbison, Miss M. |
| Allighan, Garry | Dalton, Rt. Hon. H. | Hicks, G. |
| Alpass, J. H. | Davies, Harold (Leek) | Holman, P |
| Anderson, A. (Motherwell) | Davies, Hadyn (St. Pancras, S. W.) | House, G. |
| Anderson, F. (Whitehaven) | Davies, S. O. (Merthyr) | Hoy, J |
| Attewell, H. C. | Deer, G. | Hubbard, T. |
| Attlee, Rt. Hon. C. R. | Delargy, H. J. | Hudson, J. H. (Ealing, W.) |
| Austin, H. Lewis | Diamond, J. | Hughes, Hector (Aberdeen, N.) |
| Awbery, S. S. | Dobbie, W. | Hughes, H. D. (W'Iverh'pton, W.) |
| Ayles, W. H. | Dodds, N. N. | Hutchinson, H. L. (Rusholme) |
| Ayrton Gould, Mrs. B | Driberg, T. E. N. | Isaacs, Rt. Hon. G. A. |
| Bacon, Miss A. | Dugdale, J. (W. Bromwich) | Janner, B |
| Balfour, A. | Dumpleton, C. W. | Jay, D. P. T. |
| Barstow, P. G | Dye, S | Jeger, G (Winchester) |
| Barton, C. | Ede, Rt. Hon. J. C. | Jones, D. T. (Hartlepools) |
| Battley, J. R. | Edelman, M. | Jones, Elwyn (Plaistow) |
| Bechervaise, A. E. | Edwards, A. (Middlesbrough, E.) | Jones, J. H. (Bolton) |
| Belcher, J. W. | Edwarcs, N. (Caerphilly) | Keenan, W. |
| Bellenger, Rt. Hon. F. J | Edwards, W. J. (Whitechapel) | Kendall, W. D. |
| Benson, G. | Evans, E. (Lowestoft) | Kenyon, C |
| Berry, H. | Evans, John (Ogmore) | King, E. M. |
| Beswick, F. | Ewart, R. | Kinghorn, Sqn.-Ldr. E. |
| Bing, G. H. C. | Fairhurst, F. | Kinley, J. |
| Binns, J. | Farthing, W. J | Kirby, B. V. |
| Blenkinsop, A. | Fletcher, E. G. M. (Islington, E.) | Kirkwood, D |
| Blyton, W. R. | Follick, M. | Lang, G. |
| Boardman, H. | Forman, J. C. | Lee, F. (Hulme) |
| Bottomley, A. G. | Freeman, Maj. J. (Watford) | Leslie, J. R. |
| Bowden, Flg.-Offr. H. W. | Freeman, Peter (Newport) | Lever, N. H. |
| Bowles, F. G. (Nuneaton) | Gallacher, W. | Levy, B. W. |
| Braddook, Mrs. E. M. (L'pl, Exch'ge) | Ganley, Mrs. C. S. | Lewis, T. (Southampton) |
| Brook, D. (Halifax) | George, Lady M. Lloyd (Anglesey) | Lipton, Lt.-Col. M. |
| Brooks, T. J. (Rothwell) | Gibbins, J. | Logan, D. G. |
| Brown, George (Belper) | Gibson, C. W | Longden, F. |
| Brown, T. J. (Ince) | Gilzean, A. | Lyne, A. W. |
| Bruce, Maj. D. W. T. | Glanville, J. E. (Consett) | McAdam, W |
| Buchanan, G. | Gordon-Walker, P. C. | McGhee, H. G. |
| Burden, T. W | Granville, E. (Eye) | Mack, J. D |
| Byers, Frank | Greenwood, Rt. Hon. A. (Wakefield) | McKay, J. (Wallsend) |
| Callaghan, James | Greenwood, A. W. J. (Heywood) | McKinlay, A. S. |
| Carmichael, James | Grenfell, D. R. | Maclean, N. (Govan) |
| Castle, Mrs. B. A. | Grey, C. F. | McLeavy, F. |
| Champion, A. J. | Grierson, E. | MacMillan, M. K. (Western Isles) |
| Chetwynd, G. R. | Griffiths, D. (Rother Valley) | Macpherson, T. (Romford) |
| Cobb, F. A. | Griffiths, W. D. (Moss Side) | Mann, Mrs. J. |
| Cocks, F. S. | Gunter, R. J. | Manning, C. (Camberwell, N.) |
| Collick, P. | Guy, W H. | Manning, Mrs. L. (Epping) |
| Collindridge, F. | Haire, John E. (Wyeombe) | Marquand, H. A |
| Collins, V. J. | Hale, Leslie | Mathers, G. |
| Colman, Miss G. M | Hall, W. G. | Medland, H. M. |
| Comyns, Dr. L. | Hamilton, Lieut.-Col. R | Mikardo, Ian. |
| Cook, T. F. | Hardman, D. R. | Montague, F. |
| Cooper, Wing-Cmdr. G. | Hardy, E. A. | Moody, A. S. |
| Corlett, Dr. J. | Harrison, J. | Morris, Lt.-Col. H. (Sheffield, C.) |
| Corvedale, Viscount | Hastings, Dr. Somerville | Morris, P. (Swansea, W.) |
| Cove, W. G. | Haworth, J. | Moyle, A. |
| Crawley, A. | Henderson, A. (Kingswinford) | Mulvey, A. |
| Murray, J. D. | Ross, William (Kilmarnoek) | Usborne,-Henry |
| Nally, W. | Royle, C. | Vernon, Maj. W. F |
| Naylor, T. E. | Segal, Dr. S. | Viant, S. P. |
| Neal, H. (Claycross) | Sharp, Granville | Wadsworth, G. |
| Nichol, Mrs. M. E. (Bradford, N.) | Shawcross, Rt. Hn. Sir H. (St. Helens) | Walkden, E. |
| Nicholls, H. R. (Stratford) | Shurmer, P. | Wallace, G. D. (Chislehurst) |
| Noel-Baker, Capt. F. E. (Brentford) | Silverman, J. (Erdington) | Wallace, H. W. (Walthamstow, E.) |
| Noel-Buxton, Lady | Silverman, S. S (Nelson) | Warbey, W. N. |
| O'Brien, T. | Skeffington, A. M. | Watkins, T. E. |
| Oldfield, W. H. | Skeffington-Lodge, T C. | Watson, W. M. |
| Paget, R. T. | Skinnard, F. W | Webb, M. (Bradford, C.) |
| Paling, Rt. Hon. Wilfred (Wentworth) | Smith, Ellis (Stoke) | Wells, P. L. (Faversham) |
| Paling, Will T. (Dewsbury) | Smith, H N. (Nottingham, S.) | Wells, W. T. (Walsall) |
| Parker, J. | Smith, S. H, (Hull, S.W.) | Westwood, Rt. Hon. J. |
| Parkin, B. T | Snow, Capt. J. W. | White, C. F. (Derbyshire, W.) |
| Paton, Mrs. F. (Rushcliffe) | Solley, L. J. | White, H. (Derbyshire, N.E.) |
| Pearson, A. | Sorensen, R. W | Whiteley, Rt. Hon. W. |
| Peart, Capt. T. F. | Sparks, J. A. | Wilkes, L. |
| Piratin, P. | Stamford, W. | Wilkins, W. A. |
| Poole, Major Cecil (Lichfield) | Stewart, Michael (Fulham, E.) | Willey, F. T. (Sunderland) |
| Popplewell, E. | Stokes, R. R. | Willey, O. G. (Cleveland) |
| Porter, E. (Warrington) | Stubbs, A. E. | Williams, J. L. (Kelvingrove) |
| Porter, G. (Leeds) | Swingler, S. | Williams, W. R. (Heston) |
| Price, M. Philips | Symonds, A. L. | Willis, E. |
| Pritt, D. N. | Taylor, H. B. (Mansfield) | Wills, Mrs. E. A |
| Proctor, W. T. | Taylor, R. J. (Morpeth) | Wilson, J. H. |
| Pursey, Cmdr. H | Taylor, Dr. S. (Barnet) | Wise, Major F. |
| Randall, H. E. | Thomas, D. E. (Aberdare) | Woodburn, A |
| Ranger, J. | Thomas, I. O. (Wrekin) | Woods, G. S |
| Rankin, J. | Thomas, George (Cardiff) | Wyatt, W. |
| Reid, T. (Swindon) | Thomson, Rt Hn. G. R. (Ed'b'gh, E.) | Yates, V. F. |
| Rhodes, H | Thorneycroft, Harry (Clayton) | Young, Sir R. (Newton) |
| Richards, R | Thurtle, E. | Younger, Hon. Kenneth |
| Ridealgh, Mrs. M. | Tiffany, S. | |
| Robens, A | Timmons, J. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES |
| Roberts, Goronwy (Caernarvenshire) | Titterington, M. F. | Mr. Simmonds and |
| Robertson, J. J. (Berwick) | Tolley, L. | Mr. Hannan |
| Rogers, G. H. R | Turner-Samuels, M. | |
| NOES | ||
| Agnew, Cmdr. P. G. | Hannon, Sir P. (Moseley) | Neven-Spence, Sir B |
| Aitken, Hon. Max | Hare, Hon. J. H. (Woodbridge) | Nicholson, G. |
| Amory, D. Heathcoat | Harris, H. Wilson | Noble, Comdr. A. H. P |
| Baldwin, A. E. | Harvey, Air-Comdre. A. V. | Nutting, Anthony |
| Barlow, Sir J. | Headlam, Lieut.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir C. | O'Neill, Rt. Hon. Sir H |
| Baxter, A. B. | Herbert, Sir A. P. | Osborne, C |
| Beechman N. A | Hinchingbrooke, Viscount | Peto, Brig. C. H. M |
| Boles, Lt.-Col. D. C. (Wells) | Hollis, M. C. | Ponsonby, Col. C. E. |
| Boothby, R. | Howard, Hon. A. | Poole, O. B. S. (Oswestry) |
| Bossom, A. C | Hudson, Rt. Hon. R. S. (Southport) | Prescott, Stanley |
| Bower, N. | Hutchison, Col. J. R. (Glasgow, C.) | Raikes, H. V. |
| Boyd-Carpenter, J. A. | Jarvis, Sir J. | Rayner, Brig. R |
| Bromley-Davenport, Lt.-Col. W | Jeffreys, General Sir G. | Renton, D. |
| Buchan-Hepburn, P. G. T. | Jennings, R. | Robinson, Wing-Comdr. Roland |
| Bullock, Capt. M. | Keeling, E. H. | Ross, Sir R. D. (Londonderry) |
| Butcher, H. W | Kerr, Sir J. Graham | Sanderson, Sir F. |
| Carson, E. | Lambert, Hon. G. | Savory, Prof. D. L |
| Challen, C. | Lancaster, Col. C. G | Scott, Lord W. |
| Channon, H. | Langtord-Holt, J. | Shephard, S. (Newark) |
| Churchill, Rt. Hon. W. S. | Legge-Bourke, Maj. E. A. H. | Shepherd, W. S. (Bucklow) |
| Clifton-Brown, Lt.-Col. G. | Lindsay, M. (Solihull) | Smiles, Lt.-Col. Sir W |
| Cole, T. L. | Lloyd, Maj. Guy (Renfrew, E.) | Smithers, Sir W |
| Conant, Maj. R. J. E. | Lloyd, Selwyn (Wirral) | Snadden, W. M. |
| Corbett, Lieut.-Col. U. (Ludlow) | Low, Brig. A. R. W | Stanley, Rt. Hon. O. |
| Crookshank, Capt. Rt. Hon. H. F C | Lucas, Major Sir J. | Stoddart-Scott, Col. M. |
| Crothwaite-Eyre, Col. O. E | Lucas-Tooth, Sir H. | Strauss, H. G. (English Universities) |
| Crowder, Capt. John E. | MacAndrew, Col. Sir C. | Stuart, Rt. Hon. J. (Moray) |
| Darling, Sir W. Y. | McCallum, Maj. D. | Taylor, C. S. (Eastbourne) |
| De la Bère, R. | Macdonals, Sir P (I of Wight) | Taylor, Vice-Adm. E. A (P'dd't'n, S.) |
| Teeling, William | ||
| Dodds-Parker, A. D | McKie, J. H. (Galloway) | Thornton-Kemsley, C. N |
| Drayson, G. B. | Maclay, Hon. J. S. | Thorp, Lt.-Col. R. A. F |
| Duthie, W. S. | MacLeod, J. | Touche, G. C. |
| Eden, Rt. Hon. A. | Macpherson, Maj. N. (Dumfries) | Vane, W. M. F. |
| Elliot, Rt. Hon. Walter | Maitland, Comdr. J. W. | Walker-Smith, D |
| Erroll, F. J. | Manningham-Buller, R. E | Wheatley, Colonel M. J |
| Fleming, Sqn.-Ldr. E. L | Marlowe, A. A. H | Williams, C. (Torquay) |
| Fletcher, W. (Bury) | Marples, A. E. | Williams, Gerald (Tonbridge) |
| Fox, Sir G. | Marsden, Capt. A. | Winterton, Rt. Hon. Earl |
| Fraser, Maj. H. C. P. (Stone) | Marshall, D. (Bodmin) | York, C. |
| Gage, C. | Mellor, Sir J. | Young, Sir A. S. L. (Partick) |
| Galbraith, Cmdr. T. D. | Molson, A. H. E. | |
| Gomme-Duncan, Col. A. G | Morris-Jones, Sir H. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES |
| Grant, Lady | Morrison, Maj. J. G. (Salisbury) | Mr. Studholme and |
| Grimston, R. V. | Morrison, Rt. Hon. W. S. (Cireneester) | Major Ramsay. |
Question put, and agreed to.
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 first bench on either side of the House of Commons, reserved for ministers and leaders of the principal political parties.
An intervention is when the MP making a speech is interrupted by another MP and asked to 'give way' to allow the other MP to intervene on the speech to ask a question or comment on what has just been said.
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.
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.
