suggestio:p^s ^ FOR IMPEOVING THE MANAGEMENT PUBLIC BUSmESS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS BY THOMSON HANKEY, Esq, M.P. LONDON: EFFINGHAM WILSON, EQ^A-L EXCHAJ^GE. . 1876. Price Sixpence, PUBLIC BUSINESS. In the Minutes of Evidence before the Select Committee of the House of Commons, in 1871^ on the Business of the House, I note the following- remarks made by the then Speaker^ the late Lord Ossington : — " There is another point to which I have always attached g-reat importance^ and that is, that there should be some certaint}^ Avith reg-ard to the business which is to occur on each particular da3\ There cannot be anything- of more consequence to a public assembly than to know when they meet tog-ether what business is to be broug-ht before them. But, according- to the practice of late years, with from ten to twenty Notices of Motion put down before g-oing- into Supply, that certainty has been entirely destroyed, and nobody has known how long- each discussion mig'ht occupy. Nobody has known which of those amendments mig-ht be proceeded with or omitted; and, in short, as a rule, there was utter and entire if?icertainty instead of certaint}^ about it." These observations applied immediately to the inconvenience of allowing- all sorts of Motions to be made on g'oing- into Committees of Supply; but 6 admitting' (as I am not prepared now to question) this privileg'e^ I think the same remark will apply with equal force to the prevailing* practice of placing- an almost unlimited number of Government Orders on the daily paper^ when it is quite evident that not more than one can be broug-ht forward : by this custom a block in the ordinary business of the House is created^ which^ commencing* about May or June, g-oes on increasing'^ until^ in the . middle of July, (when Members are beginning* to count the weeks before the close of the Session^) it becomes quite intolerable. Any one who has watched the directions g-iven by the Member in charg-e of the ordinary Govern- ment business of the House at the close of the evening-'s sitting*, must have been struck with the want of previous arrang'ement in disposing* of the remaining* Government Orders on the paper of the day. The House may have been occupied all nig'ht with one Order ; but, when this is over, every other Order in succession must be disposed of in some way or other. As each subject is read by the Clerk at the Table, the Government Member in charg*e calls out '^^ To-day ^^ — " To-morrow '' —" Thursday '' — " Friday '' — and this formal but necessary proceeding* may apply to tAventy or more questions, which are thus fixed as Orders of the Day for times when it is perfectly well known that not one in twenty can be broug'ht under the consideration of the House. This is all done on the same nig'ht at the close of Government business ; perh-aps at 12 — or even at 1, 2, or 8 o'clock in the morning* — when everybody — even the Member in cliarg-e of the business — is too wearied to be able to g-ive due consideration to this part of his duty. The result is^ as Lord Ossing-ton states^ entire uncertainty as to the business to be really broug'ht before the House. It is a perfect marvel how the detail prepared by the Clerks of the House at the Table can be g'ot throug'h. Every Notice given between the com- mencement and end of each day's proceeding's has to be duly entered in its proper order : that is, in connection with the debate or discussion to which such Motion or Amendment refers* and yet this is all arrang'ed by the Clerks at the Table in such a perfect manner^ that an error scarcely ever occurs^ every Notice being- duly entered in its proper place. This detail of most intricate proceeding's is completed and printed^ and is on the breakfast-table of ever}^ Member on the folloAvino- mornino- — sometimes within six hours of the close of the business of the House. I do not think that one-half the credit due is g-iven to these Officers of the House for the admirable manner in which this duty is performed. But this work imposed on the Clerks is not the only evil attendant on this want of arrang-ement : the expenses of printing- the daily proceeding's of the House is enormously aug'mented. I understand that during- the early part of the Session the weig-ht of the Votes^ &;c.^ as delivered every morning-^ is about 2 ounces^ and the cost of printing- for one day about £40. In the month of July, when the block of business has attained its heig-ht^ the weig'ht of a similar paper of Votes is 8, 10, or sometimes 12 ounces ^ and the cost above £90. 8 Is not this worthy of consideration by the Secre- tary of the Treasury ? Before sug'g-esting' a remedy^ I should be g'lad to disarm those who join in a very common cry^ that it is most undesirable to attempt to curtail the privilege of any Member, or to diminish the utmost freedom of discussion^ during* each stag-e of every measure in prog-ress. I would not propose to chang-e the usual period for the meeting- of Parliament^ nor to shorten (except to a very small extent) the duration of the Session; nor would I interfere with the privileg-e now enjoyed by every Member of bring'ing- forward any question of g-rievance on g-oing* into Committee of Supply (thoug-h I think that this privileg-e is frequently unduly exercised)^ nor would I interfere with the most ample power of discussing- the merits of every Government Bill up to its second reading*^ or with the rig'ht of ever}^ independent Member to bring- forward any measure he desired during* the Session. But what I do Avish to see altered is the mode of proceeding- now adopted with respect to Government Bills in Committees of the whole House. Morning- Sitting-s g-enerally beg-in during- the last seven or eig'ht weeks of the Session; that is^ when Government business beg-ins to get in arrear. For a time, these Mornino- Sittinofs are tolerated without much g-rumbling- ; but it is not long- before the Govern- ment^ through this operation^ gradually absorbs the whole time of the House^ and all chances for discuss- ing- matters specially brought forward by independent Members are found practically at an end for the year. 9 Now^ my proposal is^ to commence these Morning- Sitting's at a ver}^ early period of the Session^ and solely for the purpose of considering* in Committees of the whole House such Government Bills as may have passed a second reading-^ which are ready for discussion^ and which are of importance for settlement during" the Session. Before entering* more fully into this proposal^ I wish to point out what has heen the progress during* the past Session of the most important Government Bills. I assume^ as he3^ond dispute^ that the measures recommended specially in the Queen's Speech are considered by the Government ripe for immediate discussion; and probably^ that^ in all cases^ Bills have either been already prepared^ or are in such a state of prog*ress as will enable the Government to introduce them without delay. In the Speech from the Throne at the commence- ment of the Session 1876^ six measures were specially recommended for immediate consideration: — 1. The Appellate Jurisdiction Bill. 2. The Merchant Shipping* Bill. 3. The Universities Bills. 4. The Elementary Education Bill. 5. The Commons Inclosure Bill. 6. The Prisons Bill. 1 . The first reading* of the Appellate Jurisdiction Bill took place on 21st March^ having* been broug'ht from the Lords on the 16th March. It was read a second time on 12th June. Debate^ on g*oing* into 10 Committee^ commenced on the 4th July^ and occupied three days; and further consideration on the Report two days; and the Royal Assent was given on 11th Aug-ust. 2. The Merchant Shipping- Bill was read a second time on l?th February^ — Committee deferred five times. Debated in Committee ten days ; read a third time and passed^ 26th July; and^ after various consi- derations of Lords' Amendments; received the Royal Assent on 15th August. 3. Universities Bills withdrawn for want of time. 4. Elementary Education Bill^ after several adjournments^ read a second time^ 19th June ; debated on p-oinof into Committee, and in Committee fourteen days; on receiving- Report^ two days; read a third time^ 5th August ; and received the Royal Assent on the 15th Aug-ust. 5. Commons Inclosure, read a second time 18th February; Committee deferred eleven times^ and debated in Committee four times; again debated on Report, and read a third time and passed on 22nd June ; again debated on Lords' Amendments^ and received the Royal Assent on the 11th August. 6. Prisons Bill withdrawn for want of time. Respecting the other Bills alluded to generally in the Queen's Speech as ^^ other important measures/' it w^ould hardly be too strong- an expression to say that scarcely one was brought forward at the time ordered, and a great number were not considered and debated in a satisfactory manner. 11 Surely^ the leaders of the House of Commons will not deny that this state of affairs requires very serious consideration. My plan is to submit all these Government Bills, as soon as they have passed a second reading-^ to a Committee of the whole House during* Morning- Sitting's, such Committee to sit continuously; and after the Speaker has obtained the assent of the House to g'o into Committee, he should not be required to resume the Chair on any of these Morning- Sitting's, nor until the Chairman of the Committee was able to report to the House that the business of that Committee was brouo-ht to a close. It has happened during- the last and in former Sessions that after the Speaker has left the Chair, say at 5 or 6 o'clock, his presence is not required ag-ain for six or seven hours ; but during- this whole time he is compelled to remain ready at any 'moment to be recalled to the House, — consequently having- no time for entire rest or for exercise, and subject to almost as much fatig'ue as if he had been for the whole period in his seat in the House. Surely, if such a tax on the Speaker is unnecessary, it is most unwise to impose it. I firmly believe that any one of the Bills I have alluded to could have been most ampl}^ discussed in a Committee of the whole House durino- three or four of these Morning- Sitting-s. In such Committees of the whole House, I think that a quorum of twenty-five mig'ht be sufficient. Only Members who felt some interest in the Bills under consideration would think themselves bound to 12 attend^ — the clauses would be much better discussed^ and probably there would be fewer notices of amend- ments, as every Member would be better able to calculate on the precise time when such amendments should be broug'ht forward; and^ to repeat Lord Ossing'ton's words^ Members would know what they had met to discuss. I am aware it may be said that; according to existing* practice^ ever}^ discussion on clauses in Com- mittee may be re-opened on the reception of the Report. Perhaps it niig-ht be found desirable here- after to re-consider the advantag-e of continuing- this latter power ; but; without any such chang-C; I venture to express a very confident opinion that if important Bills were considered in a Committee of the whole House in the manner I have sug-g-ested; fewer mistakes would be made; and; therefore; fewer errors would require correction; and the probability would be greatly increased of the Beport being- received without the necessity of further amend- ments. These Morning- Sitting's would be held at a time when neither private Bills Committees or public Committees had commenced ; or; at least; before any large number of Members would be particularly occupied in the business of the Session. Had this course been adopted in the Session of 1876; I think it very probable that threC; if not four^ of these important Government Bills mig-ht have been discussed in Committee before Easter. Presuming-; as I have already stated; that these more prominent Government BillS; relating- to the 13 special measures recommended in the Queen's Speech^ have been prepared by the commencement of the Session^ the leader of the House would be able^ on the first or second day after the opening*^ to inform the House in what order he proposed to bring- forward these several measures. As soon as the first had been discussed and had passed a second reading*^ Supply mig-ht be taken on Army and Navy Votes^ so as to enable the Government to introduce the Mutiny Bill and a Vote on account of Civil Service^ according* to the wants of the Treasury. This first Supply being* over^ a second one of the above referred to Government Bills mig*ht be intro- duced^ without in the smallest deg-ree interfering* with the first^ which would then be making* prog*ress in Committee at Morning* Sitting's 3 and so on^ as time would admit^ before Easter. • After Easter^ the House^ having* previously made substantial prog-ress with Government Bills^ would be prepared for the Budg*et of the Chancellor of the Exchequer^ and to consider any financial measures which mig*ht be thereby rendered necessary. Then^ if all the more important Bills had not been introduced^ the}^ would naturally be proceeded with as before Easter^ and there would be ample time^ not only for the consideration of other public measures alluded to g*enerally in the Queen's Speech^ but also for the consideration of many Bills or Motions by independent Members^ who would not be deprived^ as heretofore^ of all opportunities for bring*ing* under the notice of Parliament such questions as they mig*ht severally consider of importance. 14 After all the suo-o-estions which have been made before various Committees as to the time of com- mencing* the Session^ I do not think that any alteration has commended itself, either to Parliament or to the Government^ as to the usual Meeting- in the first week of February ; but if the sug-g-estion I have ventured to propose were adopted and found successful^ respecting* the consideration of Government Bills in Committee of the whole House early in the Session at Morning* Sitting's^ I think it would be quite possible to conclude the discussion^ and to obtain the Royal Assent to all these important Bills by the 1st July 3 and^ if so^ it mig*ht then be quite easy to bring* the Session to a close a fortnio'ht earlier than is noAV o-enerally the case. But by far the most important benefit which could be derived by such a chnng*e would be to g*et rid of this block of Government business^ which is now almost intolerable in the month of July, and thus to remove the consequent very discreditable hurry and scurry and hasty leg-islation now scarcely ever avoided townrds the close of every Session. If this proposal were seriously entertained^ it would clearly be necessary to alter the hours of meetino- for Mornino- Sittinp-s, as it would be mani- festly inexpedient for a Committee of the whole House to commence business at 2^ when the House was to meet at 4, or J before 4. It mig*ht be^ perhaps^ desirable, in order to try as an experiment for one Session how far such a chang*e were expedient, for the Committee, on the first sitting- in the present usual way after the Speaker 15 had left the Chair^ to resume its work on the following" morning" at 11.30^ and to close its proceeding-s at 3.30. But^ should the plan of thus conducting* the work of Committee of the whole House on Govern- ment Bills at Morning" Sittings he adopted perma- nently^ it would then become desirable to have a room for such meeting's speciall}^ provided. If none of the present Committee-rooms up stairs were considered sufficiently larg-e when fitted up for the purpose^ I believe that ample room could be provided on the same floor as the House. I repeat^ then^ with some confidence^ that the measure I have sug'g'ested would tend to carry out the views of Lord Ossing'ton that it is most important in any public assembly that every member oug"ht to know what business was coming' on for discussion. And I am the more inclined to press for a cbnsidera- tion of the subject by those whose position and experience in the business of the House can alone secure a favourable reception^ because I believe that I have expressed no opinions which are antag'onistic to the views so fully expressed before the Com- mittees which sat for the consideration of the better mode of conducting* the business of the House^ in 1861 and 1871^ by our highest authority in such matters^ our Solon in all parliamentary proceedings^ our universally esteemed friend^ Sir Thomas Erskine May. THOMSON HANKEY. y^^ A