Oral Answers to Questions — India. – in the House of Commons at on 26 November 1934.
Colonel Josiah Wedgwood
, Newcastle-under-Lyme
asked the Secretary of State for India whether the official or/and nominated members of the legislative assembly will be authorised to vote on the issue of the acceptance of the new federal Constitution for India?
Mr Samuel Hoare
, Chelsea
The right hon. and gallant Member will hardly expect me to answer this question without knowing the terms of any resolution or motion that may be moved in the legislative assembly on the subject of constitutional reform.
Colonel Josiah Wedgwood
, Newcastle-under-Lyme
May we take it that it will not come into force until it has been accepted by a Majority of the elected members?
Mr Samuel Hoare
, Chelsea
No, Sir, I cannot give any assurance of that kind. The right hon. and gallant Gentleman is raising a hypothetical issue, and I am not prepared to deal with it.
Colonel Josiah Wedgwood
, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Has the right hon. Gentleman not yet considered that question?
Mr Samuel Hoare
, Chelsea
I have considered that and many other questions.
Colonel Josiah Wedgwood
, Newcastle-under-Lyme
And there is no conclusion yet?
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The term "majority" is used in two ways in Parliament. Firstly a Government cannot operate effectively unless it can command a majority in the House of Commons - a majority means winning more than 50% of the votes in a division. Should a Government fail to hold the confidence of the House, it has to hold a General Election. Secondly the term can also be used in an election, where it refers to the margin which the candidate with the most votes has over the candidate coming second. To win a seat a candidate need only have a majority of 1.
