House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:58 pm on 12 April 1983.

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Photo of Peter Bottomley Peter Bottomley , Greenwich Woolwich West 10:58, 12 April 1983

It seems that the main purpose behind this Act is not served by the exclusions, inclusions, omissions, deletions and additions that we are discussing, although I am delighted that correspondents who may earn £20 a year in the Isles of Scilly will be able to be elected to this place. The hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun) argued that there should be impartial broadcasting. Parliamentary candidates could be subjected to a quiz on which of the very many offices are disqualified in which they have worked. That might be more entertaining than some stages of the debate have proved to be.

Amendment (e), which relates to membership of the London Docklands Development Corporation, seems rather misplaced if someone can be a Member of this House and leader of a county council, for example. The same public funds are available. There is also the issue of whether the taking of money for the holding of offices is relevant. One of the limitations on Government patronage is the restriction on the number of Ministers. In the recent past Ministers have been appointed when the total number has exceeded the limit. Apparently that was all right if the additional Ministers did not take a salary.

The question of whether money is involved and whether a similar function is being performed by someone else who could be a Member of this place is one that is worth considering. The previous Member for Bermondsey suddenly stopped being Opposition Chief Whip and that led hon. Members to believe that they should no longer do what he said and to contend that he should not have been able to take the chairmanship or vice-chairmanship of the LDDC while he remained a Member of this place.

It seems that over the next year or so it is worth considering the position of recorders. I tended to think of people such as Tom Williams when I was asked whether Members who sat as recorders could properly fulfil that work. My experience of parliamentary colleagues to whom I have spoken and who are recorders has suggested to me that it is reasonable that they should continue to do that work occasionally.

I have never believed that the House sits in the afternoons and evenings for the convenience of lawyers. It does so much more for the convenience of Ministers, who have large Departments to run. I remember the wife of a Labour Member saying that she thought that the best reason for sitting late in the evenings was to ensure that Members were here and not wandering around on their own.