Polish Resettlement Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 4 March 1947.
Mr Tom Driberg
, Maldon
I only rise for a few moments. I want to ask when we are going to have the long awaited and long promised speech by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War. Many hours ago the Home Secretary was asked a direct question by the hon. and gallant Member for Bexley (Major Bramall), and he said that the Secretary of State for War would answer in due course tonight. Later on I raised a point of Order, seated and covered, and you, Mr. Speaker, assured me that my right hon. Friend would be speaking in the course of the proceedings. Can my right hon. Friend now answer that question: when, and at what moment of time, was it realised that all this procedure had been illegal?
Mr Frederick Bellenger
, Bassetlaw
I do not know on what authority my right hon. Friend informed the House that I should be speaking. Certainly it was not on my authority and I am not in a position tonight to give my hon. Friend the information for which he has asked. If he places such importance on this matter I will endeavour to give him the information in the form, perhaps, of a letter, if I may.
Mr Tom Driberg
, Maldon
Thank you very much.
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.
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 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.
