Oral Answers to Questions — Coal Industry. – in the House of Commons at on 6 February 1929.
Mr George Garro-Jones
, Hackney South
I beg to ask leave to move the, Adjournment of the House—
Mr David Kirkwood
, Dumbarton District of Burghs
On a point of Order. I was led to understand, Mr. Speaker, that you would allow me to put my question to the Minister of Labour—"whether he is aware that the iron foundry labourers at Kirkintilloch have been for the last three weeks awaiting payment of unemployment benefit, and what is the cause of the delay?" It is possible that the right hon. Gentleman may not be able to reply forthwith. If he cannot give the information required, now, and I put a question down for tomorrow or Friday, will he then reply?
Lieut-General Edward Fitzroy
, Daventry
I am afraid that the Minister of Labour is not here now.
Mr David Kirkwood
, Dumbarton District of Burghs
It is within the knowledge of the House and it was in your hearing that, earlier, I got far enough in my supplementary question to indicate its object. I stated my question in the best Parliamentary language possible. I apologised to the Minister of Labour for putting it, and now that the question is put, he has deliberately vacated the situation.
Lieut-General Edward Fitzroy
, Daventry
I think there is some misunderstanding about the hon. Member's question. I thought that he was going to put a supplementary question on the matter then before the House. Obviously, the question which he began to put had nothing to do with the subject then before the House. I have received no notice that he wished to put a question on a different subject. No doubt, if the hon. Member puts his question upon the Order Paper, he will receive an answer.
Mr David Kirkwood
, Dumbarton District of Burghs
Since you rose to address the House, Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Labour has returned and is now in his place. With your kind permission, I will put the question to him now: "Whether he is aware that the iron foundry labourers at Kirkintilloch have been for the past three weeks awaiting payment of unemployed benefit, and what is the cause of the delay?"
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
I gather, from explanations which have been made to me, that this question was the subject of a note which the hon. Member has sent to me. I have not received that note; otherwise I should have been perfectly willing to do my best to answer the question. It is about Kirkintilloch?
Mr Arthur Steel-Maitland
, Birmingham Erdington
If the hon. Member will put a question upon the Order Paper, I will get the information. As I have not received his letter, I am unable to answer him at the moment.
An adjournment is a break in the course of parliamentary business.
The House adjourns at the end of each day's business.
On a daily basis the House adjourns, or breaks, half an hour after the moving of the adjournment debate.
The House is also adjourned for several holiday periods during the session.
The more lengthy adjournments - often coinciding with the academic calendar - are known as recesses.
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.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The order paper is issued daily and lists the business which will be dealt with during that day's sitting of the House of Commons.
It provides MPs with details of what will be happening in the House throughout the day.
It also gives details of when and where the standing committees and select committees of the Commons will be meeting.
Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
The order paper forms one section of the daily vote bundle and is issued by the Vote Office
Of a male MP, sitting on his regular seat in the House. For females, "in her place".
