Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 25 July 1922.
Mr Arthur Neal
, Sheffield, Hillsborough
If I might answer the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Ormsby-Gore), I would say that the Section which deals generally with these special Orders—of which there are many of a formal and non-controversial character—is Section 26 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919. The proviso reads thus:
Provided that a special Order made in pursuance of the powers conferred by this Section shall be laid before each House of Parliament and shall not come into force unless and until approved either with or without modifications, by a Resolution passed by each such House.
I think that deals with the point which the hon. Gentleman has put to me. If I may say so, I am grateful to you, Mr.
Speaker, for giving me your assistance in the matter, and making the position so clear with reference to Standing Orders generally. We now have it on the authority of Mr. Speaker that a special Order, which raises controversial points, which could not be dealt with conveniently on the Floor of the House could, under his ruling, be referred to a Select Committee. The special Orders under consideration are, of course, of very great importance indeed, and what I was promising, as far as I might, was that if Opposition were raised 10 these Orders, the Government would endeavour to give ample Parliamentary time for their discussion, and not try to struggle them through in the dead of the night, when some hon. Members might not be here to take part in the discussion. I hope in that way we have endeavoured to meet quite fully the points that were raised, and that we may dispose of the Amendment of my hon. Friend.
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 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 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".
