Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 17 December 1947.
Sir Frank Soskice
, Birkenhead East
12:00,
17 December 1947
I beg to move:
That the Order of Reference [23rd October] to the Select Committee be amended in line 3, by inserting after '1893),' the words 'or Statutory Instrument,' and by inserting after the word 'Order,' the word 'Instrument.'
There are three Motions on the Order Paper tonight in the names of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House and myself. All relate to the same matter. They are highly technical and, I believe, non-controversial. Perhaps it would be convenient if I explained what each provides for. The first two are designed to extend the terms of reference of the Scrutiny Committee. They are made necessary by the fact that the Statutory Instruments Act, 1946, will come into operation on 1st January next. The first Motion extends the terms of reference to enable the Scrutiny Committee to take into consideration Statutory Instruments. The second extends it by enabling the Scrutiny Committee to take into consideration notifications which you, Mr. Speaker, lay on the Table of the House when an instrument is made to come into operation before it is laid. The third makes a slight Amendment to the new Standing Order No. 94, which this House adopted on 5th November, by limiting the Statutory Instruments to which it applies to those which, under Section 4 of the Statutory Instruments Act, 1946, have to be laid before they come into operation.
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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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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.
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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.
