– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 10 June 1964.
Mr Ellis Smith
, Stoke-on-Trent South
12:00,
10 June 1964
I want to raise a point of order. It would not be in order for me to make any comment at this stage on what I want to raise. I want to ask Mr. Speaker a number of questions. Firstly, will he make a study of columns 775 to 780 of the OFFICIAL REPORT of Another place, published today, dealing with the Manchester Corporation and Lakeland water? Will Mr. Speaker, in making his study of those columns, first consider whether the authorities in another place were in order in allowing this matter even to be put on the Order Paper?
Secondly, will Mr. Speaker, when studying this matter have regard to the special Parliamentary procedure which is now laid down for the guidance of both Houses of Parliament? Will Mr. Speaker also consider whether the authorities of another place in allowing this matter to appear on the Order Paper were not prejudging the constitutional public inquiry which usually takes place on matters of this kind? Will Mr. Speaker, when considering this, consider the passing of the Water Resources Act and the responsebilities of Government Departments for dealing with this matter? Finally, will Mr. Speaker consider the observations made by Lord Morrison in particular?
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
I do not quite understand, with due respect to the hon. Member, where I come into this at all. It does not seem to be suggested that there is any point of order which arises now. In the circumstances, I shall give myself the great pleasure of studying what the hon. Member has said and, if there should be anything I can do to help him in any way without impropriety I will do it, but at the moment I find the matter a little obscure.
Mr Ellis Smith
, Stoke-on-Trent South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to that point of order, when Mr. Speaker has studied this, he will find that in a number of Acts of Parliament other people have certain rights. I understand that it is Mr. Speaker's duty to defend the elected Members of this House and to see that they are helped.
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
I am an enthusiast for defending the rights of hon. Members of this House.
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
During a debate members of the House of Commons traditionally refer to the House of Lords as 'another place' or 'the other place'.
Peers return the gesture when they speak of the Commons in the same way.
This arcane form of address is something the Labour Government has been reviewing as part of its programme to modernise the Houses of Parliament.
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.
