Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 9 Rhagfyr 1947.
Mr Gilbert Mitchison
, Kettering
12:00,
9 Rhagfyr 1947
My own grandfather was in two New Zealand Governments, and I still have great interest in the country and would like to make one observation about New Zealand. I think my grandfather received from the last of the Maori chiefs who surrendered the jade object which represented his chieftainship, and which was given and received on the understanding that the Maoris should keep their rights in New Zealand. When I was in the country about a year ago, the Maori representative in the New Zealand Cabinet gave me a message of goodwill because I was an English Member of Parliament, and, I think I may add, an English Labour Member of Parliament, though at that time I said to him that I saw no prospect of ever delivering it. Perhaps I may say on this occassion that the relations between the Maoris and the people of New Zealand are a singular and noble instance of a conquered race living with their conquerors in amity and partnership, and that this fact does the greatest credit to both races and is one of the greatest achievements in the whole history of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
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 Member of Parliament (MP) is elected by a particular area or constituency in Britain to represent them in the House of Commons. MPs divide their time between their constituency and the Houses of Parliament in London. Once elected it is an MP's job to represent all the people in his or her constituency. An MP can ask Government Ministers questions, speak about issues in the House of Commons and consider and propose new laws.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
