– in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 24 Hydref 1947.
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
12:00,
24 Hydref 1947
I wonder, Mr. Speaker, whether you would be good enough to give us your guidance on the arrangement of Business for the remaining days of the Debate on the Address?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
Yes. After the discussion yesterday, I thought it might be to the general convenience of the House it on Monday we continued the general Debate, but confined ourselves, more or less, to Germany and the Report of the Estimates Committee, which I understand will be printed and before the House today. Then, at about 8.30, I will call upon the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. J. P. L. Thomas) who will move his Amendment—
Mr Francis Bowles
, Nuneaton
Is it proposed to exclude foreign affairs from the Debate upon the Address, except the matter of Germany?
Mr Douglas Clifton Brown
, Hexham
I was not now proposing to devote a special period to foreign affairs. In any case, the subject of foreign affairs was to have been mixed up with the particular subject of Germany. Of course, on the wide Amendment by the Opposition there will be ample opportunity for various matters to be raised.
[But humbly regret that the Gracious Speech, while clearly revealing the intention of Your Majesty's Government to continue their partisan policies, gives no assurance of the national leadership, the administrative competence, or the measures necessary to meet the economic crisis and so give relief to Your people from their ever increasing hardships.]
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
I was going to ask the Government whether they would consider, within the next three or four weeks, perhaps, giving us a separate opportunity for a discussion of foreign affairs in general. If that could be done it would, I think, fit in with the Government's programme and would give the House an opportunity for a discussion which the House would like.
Mr James Ede
, South Shields
The Government will be quite prepared to consider that through the usual channels, having regard to the general arrangements with regard to the Business of the House. May I say, in response to what you said earlier, Sir, that His Majesty's Government will put down a Motion to extend the Sitting on Monday by one hour?
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman, and I do not want to press him now; but the word "consider" which he used is a little disappointing. Could he make it a little more hopeful than that? The Prime Minister did tell us in the Debate, in reply to my speech, that he did not want to make a statement on foreign affairs then, but would rather leave a fuller discussion to a later time, although there would be opportunities for discussing foreign affairs in the Debate on the King's Speech.
Mr James Ede
, South Shields
I am sorry I used a word that seemed too pessimistic to the right hon. Gentleman, but I understand that the "usual channels" have already begun to flow, and I did not want to say anything which might precipitate a flood.
The debate on the Royal Address, or Queen's Speech, is the first major debate of any parliamentary session and lasts for five or six days.
It provides MPs and peers with an early opportunity to discuss the government's proposed programme for the year.
Debate begins after the Royal Address has been moved by two backbench government MPs. These speeches will be non-party political and humorous and each Member will talk mainly about their constituency.
The Leader of the Opposition then comments on the contents of the legislative programme, followed by the prime minister who defends the government's policies and proposals.
The Leader of the third major party, being at present the Liberal Democrats, then responds, after which backbenchers may speak. A similar pattern is followed in the Lords.
Traditionally, economic affairs are left until the last day, and the opening speech for the government on this day of the debate is made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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.
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.
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 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".
