Business of the House. – in the House of Commons at on 24 July 1923.
Mr. J. RAMSAY MacDONALD:
(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he can state what further business it is proposed to take this week; when it is proposed that the House shall adjourn for the Summer Recess; what business it will be necessary to conclude before the Adjournment; and what Bills will be postponed until the Autumn?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
I must apologise for the length of this answer. Tonight, after 11 o'Clock, we propose to take the Report and Third Reading of the Railways (Authorisation of Works) Bill, the Town Councils (Scotland) Bill [Lords], the Lords Amendments to the Railway Fires Act (1905) Amendment Bill, and the Committee stage of the National Diamond Factory (Guarantee Agreement) Money Resolution, and Navy Expenditure, 1921–22.
On Thursday, we shall put down the Board of Trade Vote.
On Friday, further consideration of the Education (Scotland) Bill [Lords], the National Diamond Factory (Guarantee Agreement) Bill, the Second Reading of the Administration of Justice Bill [Lords], and, if received from Another place, Lords Amendments to Bills.
In regard to the date of the Summer Recess, I hope that it will be possible for the House to adjourn on Thursday of next week (2nd August), until Tuesday, 13th November.
The business outstanding after this week which we must ask the House to dispose of before the Adjournment is as follows:
Supply: We shall conclude the business of Supply this week, and it will then remain to pass the Appropriation Bill through all its stages.
We hope to obtain all stages of the National Diamond Factory (Guarantee Agreement) Bill and Financial Resolution if this Bill proves to be non-contentious.
Second Reading of the Administration of Justice Bill [Lords], if not obtained on Friday, and of the Criminal Justice Bill [Lords], and Lords Amendments, if any, to Bills which have already passed this House, including the Agricultural Rates Bill and the Rent Restrictions Bill.
We propose to postpone until the autumn further consideration of the following Bills now before Parliament:
Mr William Pringle
, Penistone
Can the right hon. Gentleman say which Vote in connection with the Board of Trade will be taken on Thursday?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
I think it is proposed to take the main Vote.
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
No, certainly not. There will be opportunity for discussion, as I originally anounced, on the Second Reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill.
Mr James Remnant
, Holborn
Can the right hon. Gentleman give facilities for the promised relief to pre-War naval and military pensioners?
Mr Granville Wheler
, Faversham
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that he has not mentioned the Merchandise Marks Bill?
Mr William Pringle
, Penistone
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that Bill will take the greater part of the Autumn Session?
Mr Stanley Baldwin
, Bewdley
A very useful Bill, then? With regard to the pre-War pensioners, that subject, as has already been stated, will be taken in the Autumn Session. My hon. Friend will remember that I made an announcement that pensioners will not lose by that, because the date will be fixed at such a date as would have been taken if the Bill had been passed now. With regard to the other Bill which my hon Friend mentioned, that is at present under consideration.
| Division No. 305.] | AYES. | [3.55 p.m. |
| Agg-Gardner, Sir James Tynte | Barrie, Sir Charles Coupar (Banff) | Bridgeman, Rt. Hon. William Clive |
| Ainsworth, Captain Charles | Becker, Harry | Brittain, Sir Harry |
| Alexander, E. E. (Leyton, East) | Bell, Lieut.-Col. W. C. H (Devizes) | Brown, Major D. C. (Hexham) |
| Alexander, Col. M. (Southwark) | Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Brown, Brig.-Gen. Clifton (Newbury) |
| Amery, Rt. Hon. Leopold C. M.S. | Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Brown, J. W. (Middlesbrough, E.) |
| Apsley, Lord | Bennett, Sir T. J. (Sevenoaks) | Bruford, R. |
| Archer-Shee, Lieut.-Col. Sir Martin | Bentinck, Lord Henry Cavendish- | Bruton, Sir James |
| Ashley, Lt.-Col. Wilfrid W. | Berry, Sir George | Buckingham, Sir H. |
| Astbury, Lieut.-Com. Frederick W. | Betterton, Henry B. | Burn, Colonel Sir Charles Rosdew |
| Baird, Rt. Hon. Sir John Lawrence | Bird, Sir R. B. (Wolverhampton, W.) | Butcher, Sir John George |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Blades, Sir George Rowland | Butler, H. M. (Leeds, North) |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Blundell, F. N. | Butt, Sir Alfred |
| Banbury, Rt. Hon. Sir Frederick G. | Bowyer, Capt. G. E. W. | Button, H. S. |
| Barlow, Rt. Hon. Sir Montague | Boyd-Carpenter, Major A. | Cadogan, Major Edward |
| Barnett, Major Richard W. | Brass, Captain W. | Cautley, Henry Strother |
| Barnston, Major Harry | Brassey, Sir Leonard | Cayzer, Sir C. (Chester, City) |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Sir Evelyn (Aston) | Hoare, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir S. J. G. | Pollock, Rt. Hon. Sir Ernest Murray |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Lord R. (Hitchin) | Hogg, Rt. Hon. Sir D.(St. Marylebone) | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton |
| Chadwick, Sir Robert Burton | Holbrook, Sir Arthur Richard | Privett, F. J. |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hon. N. (Ladywood) | Hood, Sir Joseph | Raine, W. |
| Clayton, G. C. | Hopkins, John W. W. | Rankin, Captain James Stuart |
| Cobb, Sir Cyril | Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) | Rawlinson, Rt. Hon. John Fredk. Peel |
| Cockerill, Brigadier-General G. K. | Houfton, John Plowright | Rawson, Lieut.-Com. A. C. |
| Cohen, Major J. Brunel | Howard, Capt. D. (Cumberland, N.) | Rees, Sir Beddoe |
| Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips | Howard-Bury, Lieut.-Col. C. K. | Reid, Capt. A. S. C. (Warrington) |
| Colvin, Brig.-General Richard Beale | Hudson, Capt. A. | Reid, D. D. (County Down) |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Hughes, Collingwood | Remer, J. R. |
| Cope, Major William | Hunter-Weston, Lt.-Gen. Sir Aylmer | Remnant, Sir James |
| Craig, Captain C. C. (Antrim, South) | Hurd, Percy A. | Reynolds, W. G. W. |
| Craik, Rt. Hon. Sir Henry | Hurst, Gerald B. | Rhodes, Lieut.-Col. J. P. |
| Crooke, J. Smedley (Deritend) | Hutchison, G. A. C. (Midlothian, N.) | Richardson, Lt.-Col. Sir P. (Chertsey) |
| Curzon, Captain Viscount | Hutchison, W. (Kelvingrove) | Roberts, Samuel (Hereford, Hereford) |
| Davies, Alfred Thomas (Lincoln) | Inskip, Sir Thomas Walker H. | Robertson-Despencer,Major(lslgtn,W) |
| Davies, Thomas (Cirencester) | Jackson, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. F. S. | Robinson, Sir T. (Lancs., Stretford) |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert | Rogerson, Capt. J. E. |
| Dawson, Sir Philip | Jephcott, A. R. | Roundell, Colonel R. F. |
| Doyle, N. Grattan | Jodrell, Sir Neville Paul | Russell, Alexander West (Tynemouth) |
| Du Pre, Colonel William Baring | Joynson-Hicks, Sir William | Russell, William (Bolton) |
| Edmondson, Major A. J. | Kennedy, Captain M. S. Nigel | Russell-Wells, Sir Sydney |
| Ednam, Viscount | King, Captain Henry Douglas | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Erskine, James Malcolm Monteith | Kinloch-Cooke, Sir Clement. | Sanderson, Sir Frank B. |
| Erskine, Lord (Weston-super-Mare) | Lamb, J. Q. | Sandon, Lord |
| Erskine-Bolst, Captain C. | Lane-Fox, Lieut.-Colonel G. R. | Sheffield, Sir Berkeley |
| Evans, Capt. H. Arthur (Leicester, E.) | Leigh, Sir John (Clapham) | Simpson-Hinchliffe, W. A. |
| Eyres-Monsell, Com. Rt. Hon. Sir B. M. | Lloyd, Cyril E. (Dudley) | Singleton, J. E. |
| Falle. Major Sir Bertram Godfray | Lloyd-Greame, Rt. Hon. Sir Philip | Skelton, A. N. |
| Fawkes, Major F. H. | Locker-Lampson. G. (Wood Green) | Somerville, A. A. (Windsor) |
| Fermor-Hesketh, Major T. | Lorden, John William | Somerville, Daniel (Barrow-in-Furness) |
| Flanagan, W. H. | Lorimer, H. D. | Spears, Brig.-Gen. E. L. |
| Ford, Patrick Johnston | Lougher, L. | Spender-Clay, Lieut.-Colonel H. H. |
| Forestier-Walker. L. | Lowe, Sir Francis William | Steel. Major S. Strang |
| Foxcroft, Captain Charles Talbot | Loyd, Arthur Thomas (Abingdon) | Stewart, Gershom (Wirral) |
| Fraser, Major Sir Keith | Lumley, L. R. | Stockton, Sir Edwin Forsyth |
| Frece, Sir Walter de | Macnaghten, Hon. Sir Malcolm | Stuart, Lord C. Crichton- |
| Fremantle, Lleut.-Colonel Francis E. | McNeill, Ronald (Kent. Canterbury) | Sueter, Rear-Admiral Murray Fraser |
| Furness, G. J. | Makins, Brigadier-General E. | Sugden, Sir Wilfrid H. |
| Ganzoni, Sir John | Manville, Edward | Thompson, Luke (Sunderland) |
| Gardiner, James | Margesson, H. D. R. | Thomson, F. C. (Aberdeen, South) |
| Garland, C. S. | Mercer, Colonel H. | Tryon, Rt. Hon. George Clement |
| Gaunt, Rear-Admiral Sir Guy R. | Milne, J. S. Wardlaw | Wallace, Captain E. |
| Gilmour, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir John | Mitchell, W. F. (Saffron Walden) | Ward, Col. L. (Kingston-upon-Hull) |
| Goff, Sir R. Park | Mitchell, Sir W. Lane (Streatham) | Ward, Col. J. (Stoke-upon-Trent) |
| Gray. Harold (Cambridge) | Molloy, Major L. G. S. | Waring, Major Walter |
| Gretton, Colonel John | Moore-Brabazon, Lieut.-Col. J. T. C. | Watson, Capt. J. (Stockton-on-Tees) |
| Guinness, Lieut.-Col. Hon. W. E. | Morrison, Hugh (Wilts, Salisbury) | Watts, Dr. T. (Man., Withington) |
| Gwynne, Rupert S. | Morrison-Bell,Major Sir A. C. (Honiton) | Wells, S. R |
| Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Murchison, C. K. | Wheler, Col. Granville C. H. |
| Hall, Rr-Adml Sir W. (Liv'p'hW.D'by) | Nail, Major Joseph | White, Lt.-Col. G. D. (Southport) |
| Halstead, Major D. | Newman, Colonel J. R. P. (Finchley) | Wilson, Col. M. J. (Richmond) |
| Hamilton, Sir George C. (Altrincham) | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) | Windsor-Clive, Lieut.-Colonel George |
| Hannon, Patrick Joseph Henry | Nicholson, Brig.-Gen. J. (Westminster) | Winterton, Earl |
| Harmsworth, Hon. E. C. (Kent) | Nicholson, William G. (Petersfield) | Wise, Frederick |
| Harrison, F. C. | Norman, Major Rt. Hon. Sir Henry | Wolmer, Viscount |
| Harvey, Major S. E. | Norton-Griffiths, Lieut.-Col. Sir John | Wood, Rt. Hn. Edward F. L. (Ripon) |
| Hawke, John Anthony | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Wood, Sir H. K. (Woolwich, West) |
| Hay, Major T. W. (Norfolk, South) | O'Neill, Rt. Hon. Hugh | Wood, Maj. Sir S. Hill- (High Peak) |
| Henn, Sir Sydney H. | Ormsby-Gore, Hon. William | Woodcock, Colonel H. C. |
| Hennessy, Major J. R. G. | Paget, T. G. | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Herbert, Col. Hon. A. (Yeovil) | Parker, Owen (Kettering) | Yate, Colonel Sir Charles Edward |
| Herbert, S. (Scarborough) | Pennefather, De Fonblanque | Yerburgh, R. D. T. |
| Hewett, Sir J. P. | Percy, Lord Eustace (Hastings) | |
| Hilder, Lieut.-Colonel Frank | Perkins, Colonel E. K. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.—Colonel Leslie Wilson and Colonel the Rt. Hon. G. A. Gibbs. |
| Hiley, Sir Ernest | Peto, Basil E. | |
| NOES. | ||
| Acland, Rt. Hon. Francis Dyke | Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) |
| Adams D. | Broad, F. A. | Davies, Evan (Ebbw Vale) |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. William | Brotherton, J. | Davies, Rhys John (Westhoughton) |
| Alexander, A. V. (Sheffield, Hillsbro') | Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Davison, J. E. (Smethwick) |
| Ammon, Charles George | Buckle, J. | Duffy, T. Gavan |
| Attlee, C. R. | Burgess, S. | Duncan, C. |
| Barker, G. (Monmouth, Abertillery) | Burnie, Major J. (Bootle) | Dunnico, H. |
| Barnes, A. | Buxton, Charles (Accrington) | Ede, James Chuter |
| Batey, Joseph | Cape, Thomas | Edwards, C. (Monmouth, Bedwellty) |
| Benn, Captain Wedgwood (Leith) | Charleton, H. C. | Emlyn-Jones, J. E. (Dorset, N.) |
| Berkeley, Captain Reginald | Clarke, Sir E. C. | Evans, Ernest (Cardigan) |
| Bonwick, A. | Clynes, Rt. Hon. John R. | Falconer, J. |
| Bowdler, W. A. | Collison, Levl | Foot, Isaac |
| Graham, W. (Edinburgh, Central) | Leach. W. | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Gray, Frank (Oxford) | Lee, F. | Simon, Rt. Hon. Sir John |
| Greenall, T. | Linfield, F. C. | Smith, T. (Pontefract) |
| Grenfell, D. R. (Glamorgan) | Lowth, T. | Snell, Harry |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Lyle-Samuel, Alexander | Snowden, Philip |
| Groves, T. | MacDonald, J. R. (Aberavon) | Spencer, H. H. (Bradford, S.) |
| Grundy, T. W. | M'Entee, V. L. | Stephenson, Lieut.-Colonel H. K. |
| Guthrie, Thomas Maule | McLaren, Andrew | Stewart, J. (St. Rollox) |
| Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) | Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) | Strauss, Edward Anthony |
| Hall, G. H. (Merthyr Tydvil) | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. | Sturrock, J. Leng |
| Hamilton, Sir R. (Orkney & Shetland) | Marshall, Sir Arthur H. | Sullivan, J. |
| Hancock, John George | Martin, F. (Aberd'n & Kinc'dine, E.) | Sutherland, Rt. Hon. Sir William |
| Harbord, Arthur | Middleton, G. | Thomson, T. (Middlesbrough, West) |
| Hardie, George D. | Millar, J. D. | Thorne, G. R. (Wolverhampton, E.) |
| Hay, Captain J. P. (Cathcart) | Moreing, Captain Algernon H. | Thome, W. (West Ham, Plalstow) |
| Hayday, Arthur | Morel, E. D. | Tout, W. J. |
| Hayes, John Henry (Edge Hill) | Morrison, R. C. (Tottenham, N.) | Trevelyan, C. P. |
| Henderson, Sir T. (Roxburgh) | Mosley, Oswald | Turner, Ben |
| Henderson, T. (Glasgow) | Muir, John W. | Wallhead, Richard C. |
| Herriotts, J. | Murnin, H. | Walsh, Stephen (Lancaster, Ince) |
| Hill, A. | Murray, R. (Renfrew, Western) | Warne, G. H. |
| Hinds, John | O'Connor, Thomas P. | Watson, W. M. (Dunfermline) |
| Hirst, G. H. | Oliver, George Harold | Watts-Morgan, Lt.-Col. D. (Rhondda) |
| Hodge, Rt. Hon. John | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Webb, Sidney |
| Hutchison, Sir R. (Kirkcaldy) | Pattinson, R. (Grantham) | Wedgwood, Colonel Josiah C. |
| Irving, Dan | Phillips, Vivian | Weir, L. M. |
| Jenkins, W. (Glamorgan, Neath) | Ponsonby, Arthur | Westwood, J. |
| John, William (Rhondda, West) | Potts, John S. | White, Charles F. (Derby, Western) |
| Johnston, Thomas (Stirling) | Pringle, W. M. R. | White, H. G. (Birkenhead, E.) |
| Johnstone, Harcourt (Willesden, East) | Richardson, R. (Houghton-le-Spring) | Whiteley, W. |
| Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Ritson, J. | Williams, David (Swansea, E.) |
| Jones, J. J. (West Ham, Silvertown) | Roberts, C. H. (Derby) | Williams, Dr. J. H. (Lianelly) |
| Jones. Morgan (Caerphilly) | Roberts, Frederick O. (W. Bromwich) | Williams, T. (York, Don Valley) |
| Jones, R. T. (Carnarvon) | Robertson, J. (Lanark, Bothwell) | Wilson, C. H. (Sheffield, Attercliffe) |
| Jowett, F. W. (Bradford, East) | Robinson, W. C. (York, Elland) | Wintringham, Margaret |
| Kenworthy, Lieut.-Commander J. M. | Rose, Frank H. | Wood, Major M. M. (Aberdeen, C.) |
| Kenyon, Barnet | Royce, William Stapleton | Wright, W. |
| Kirkwood. D. | Salter, Dr. A | Young, Rt. Hon. E. H. (Norwich) |
| Lambert, Rt. Hon. George | Scrymgeour, E. | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Lansbury, George | Sexton, James | |
| Lawson, John James | Shaw, Thomas (Preston) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.—Mr. Spoor and Mr. Lunn.; |
Question put, and agreed to.
A proposal for new legislation that is debated by Parliament.
The Second Reading is the most important stage for a Bill. It is when the main purpose of a Bill is discussed and voted on. If the Bill passes it moves on to the Committee Stage. Further information can be obtained from factsheet L1 on the UK Parliament website.
During a debate members of the House of Commons traditionally refer to the House of Lords as 'another place' or 'the other place'.
Peers return the gesture when they speak of the Commons in the same way.
This arcane form of address is something the Labour Government has been reviewing as part of its programme to modernise the Houses of Parliament.
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.
