– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 11 March 1947.
Mr Anthony Eden
, Warwick and Leamington
12:00,
11 March 1947
May I ask the Leader of the House if he will tell us about the Business of the House tonight, in view of the Motion on the Order Paper?
Mr Arthur Greenwood
, Wakefield
I propose that tonight, in continuance of the Economic Debate, we should sit for one hour after ten o'clock, as we did last night. We propose to move the Adjournment of the Debate about eleven o'clock, and afterwards we shall ask the House to agree to the revised Supplementary Estimate for the House of Commons, which relates to the late night transport scheme.
Mr Stephen Swingler
, Stafford
Is the acting Leader of the House aware that in yesterday's Debate only eight back bench Members caught Mr. Speaker's eye, and will he consider, in view of the length of the speeches yesterday, giving more time, so that back benchers may have ample opportunity to take part in the Debate?
Mr Arthur Greenwood
, Wakefield
In Debates of this kind, there always have been, and I suppose there always will be, a large number of dissatisfied Members, who, Sir, have not caught your eye. On your own estimate as to the number of Members who would like to speak, even if we were to suspend all night, there would still be a number of dissatisfied Members. I should have thought myself that eleven o'clock was a convenient hour. In spite of the appeal made by Mr. Speaker yesterday, speeches were made of inordinate length, including those by Members of the front bench. We must not disguise that fact owing to the importance of the issue. I should have thought that less injustice would be done if we were to wind up this Debate at eleven o'clock, as I have already suggested.
Mr James Callaghan
Parliamentary Secretary (Ministry of Transport)
I am sure that my right hon. Friend will agree that it is a little unusual to have one front bench speech for every two back bench speeches. We had four speakers from the Front Benches yesterday. Is there any indication of how many Front Bench speakers we shall have during the next two days?
Mr Samuel Silverman
, Nelson and Colne
May I ask my right hon. Friend to undertake that, in any arrangements he may make as to the conduct of this Debate, there are no disappointed front bench speakers?
Mr Charles Byers
, Dorset Northern
The acting Leader of the House said that there would be less injustice caused to Members if we closed at II o'clock tonight. May I ask him to reconsider his whole attitude to this problem? Is it not a fact that the Government want to hear from back benchers on these matters, and would it not have been far better to have given an extra week to this Debate?
Mr Arthur Greenwood
, Wakefield
I thought that I erred on the side of generosity when I agreed to a three days' Debate. However long we extend this Debate, even if we had three all night Sittings, it is perfectly clear that all the Members who desire to speak could not be called, and I am bound to say that the patience of the House would be exhausted. I should have thought that shorter speeches would have been better.
Mr Francis Bowles
, Nuneaton
With reference to the revised Supplementary Estimate in relation to Members travelling home late at night, for which the acting Leader of the House wants some money before 31st March, may I ask whether we shall have the transport before 31st March?
Mr Arthur Greenwood
, Wakefield
We cannot spend money in advance. As soon as we get the Consolidated Fund Bill through, before the end of March, arrangements will immediately be made for the provision of transport.
Mr Henry Strauss
, Combined English Universities
Will the right hon. Gentleman the acting Leader of the House reconsider his use of the word "generosity"? Does he really think that it is by the generosity of the Government that this House discusses the question of national survival?
Mr William Gallacher
, Fife Western
Would the acting Leader of the House reconsider his position in regard to moving the Adjournment of the Debate at II o'clock tonight? Last Tuesday night we went to three o'clock in the morning on Polish resettlement. Is it not desirable that we should go to three in the morning on British resettlement?
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Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
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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 first bench on either side of the House of Commons, reserved for ministers and leaders of the principal political parties.
