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Mr. Newton: I would not wish to encourage the expectation that a proposal that would entail the other place sitting later into the week could readily be accommodated.
I shall, of course, consider the other questions that the hon. Gentleman raised, but I am bound to say that we gave a great deal of thought to the proposals for the guillotine motion, which I know have been indicated through the usual channels. I continue to think for the moment that we have it about right.
I shall certainly consider the point raised about the printing of amendments, but given the form in which the Bill will come before the House tomorrow, following its draft publication today, I find it a bit difficult to see any real scope for dealing with amendments except on the basis of manuscript amendments.
Rev. Martin Smyth (Belfast, South):
The Leader of the House will know that I am pleased that the Family
Mr. Newton:
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for the approach that he outlined. He makes a salutary point.
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett (Denton and Reddish):
Will the Leader of the House tell us when the timetable motion will be tabled, so that we can all see it? Will it be possible for amendments to the draft Bill to be given to the Table Office, so that at least we can see tonight what amendments other hon. Members are tabling, rather than having to wait until the manuscript amendments appear in the morning?
Mr. Newton:
I envisage that the timetable motion will be tabled later tonight, but we have been asked to look at one or two points. Although I do not think that I have encouraged great expectations that I shall be able to make changes, I would like to give further consideration in the light of what has been said.
Perhaps I might consult further on the hon. Gentleman's question about amendments. Given that what has been published is in draft form and therefore is not formally a Bill, I find it difficult to see how the procedures of the House will be able to accommodate some formal procedure relating to amendments, but I shall give consideration to whether there are any practical means of achieving what the hon. Gentleman suggested.
Mr. Kevin McNamara (Kingston upon Hull, North):
May I ask the right hon. Gentleman two things? First, if we can have a draft Bill, why cannot we have printed draft amendments tomorrow morning? Secondly, my hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) and my hon. Friend the Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor), who is the right hon. Gentleman's shadow, spoke about briefings that had been given, which persuaded them of the need to pass this legislation. As neither of my hon. Friends is a Privy Councillor, and in view of the fact that the Leader of the House wishes the whole House to support the proposed legislation, should not every hon. Member be given the same briefings at the same level and in the same detail, so that we can judge whether what has been decided by the Government and by my hon. Friends is a sensible course of action?
Mr. Newton:
On the latter point, it is and has been appropriate to treat the hon. Member for Blackburn, albeit that he is not a Privy Councillor, in the way that the Government have sought to do. I am not sure that it would be appropriate to move in the same way in respect of all hon. Members.
On the publishing of draft amendments, the only point that I was making was that I do not think that there can formally be the publication by the House of draft amendments, any more than the publication of the draft Bill is a formal act in House of Commons terms. My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary is publishing a draft Bill. There is certainly nothing to prevent hon.
Members who wish to table amendments from making their amendments available in manuscript, printed or any other form if they wish to do so later today.
Mr. Michael Jopling (Westmorland and Lonsdale):
I want to raise exactly the same point as the hon. Members for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) and for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara). I am not aware that draft amendments have been made available to the House in this way before, but I cannot see any possible way in which it could be objected to. It seems a thoroughly commendable way in which the House could proceed. If the Table Office is asked to consider draft amendments on the basis of the draft Bill, I cannot see any good reason why they should not be published by the House with the authority of Madam Speaker. I cannot think why nobody has ever thought of it before, because it seems an excellent idea.
Mr. Newton:
I naturally listen to my right hon. Friend, with his experience, with great respect. I have already indicated that I shall do anything that I can to find a practical way to meet what is seen as a practical need, but it has to be said, on my advice and on the body language from the Chair and from those who advise the Chair, that the draft Bill has no formal status in terms of House of Commons procedure.
Mr. Max Madden (Bradford, West):
Recalling that the PTA was initially introduced in 1974 in the aftermath of the terrible Birmingham pub bombings and that it was taken through all its stages in less than 48 hours--it was then described as a temporary measure--I think that it is disturbing that the Government propose to do precisely the same thing tomorrow. Will whoever promotes the Bill be able to give an explanation--clearly, none is available today--as to why this panic measure, which has serious implications for human rights and civil liberties, is being rushed through the House in this way? I hope that that explanation will be forthcoming tomorrow, because if it is not, I am sure that a number of hon. Members, including myself, will be unable to support the measure and will vote against it, not least because of the circumstances in which it is being taken through the House.
Mr. Newton:
I naturally regret the hon. Gentleman's indication of his intentions, but that must be a matter for him.
On the hon. Gentleman's first point, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary clearly explained the reasons to the House in his statement.
Mr. Jeremy Corbyn (Islington, North):
Does the Leader of the House accept that he and the Home Secretary have got the House into this mess by introducing the Bill, albeit in a draft unprinted form, so that many hon. Members do not even know of its existence, never mind its content? The Leader of the House is now telling us, apparently, that there is no scope to table full amendments today which can appear on the Order Paper tomorrow. Will he please do something quickly to ensure that the House can perform its proper function: the scrutiny of legislation before it is passed, not acting as a rubber stamp for whatever panic the Home Secretary of the day chooses to create?
Mr. Newton:
I cannot really add to what I said earlier about the technicalities. The fact is that, from the point of view of the House, the Bill has not yet been introduced, and will not be introduced until tomorrow. Nevertheless, I repeat that as soon as I leave the Chamber I shall explore whether there are practical ways of achieving the same effect, although they would not involve the formal publication of draft amendments by the authorities of the House.
Mr. Corbyn:
On a point of order, Madam Speaker. Will you be making a statement later this evening or tomorrow about the means by which hon. Members can table amendments to the Bill proposed by the Home Secretary, so that all hon. Members can be aware of them before the debate on the timetable motion tomorrow? Will you be able to give your selection of those amendments in advance of the debate?
Madam Speaker:
It is not my intention at present to do so, but, following what the Leader of the House has said, I must consider the matter carefully. I would want all hon. Members to have as much opportunity as possible to table amendments, and to see the amendments that are published.
Mr. McNamara:
On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Harry Barnes (North-East Derbyshire):
On a point of order, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker:
I cannot take any more points of order on this matter.
Mr. Barnes:
We have been informed, Madam Speaker, that a draft Bill is available to us. Is that in order? I understand that First and Second Reading will take place tomorrow. Under the normal procedure, First Reading would give permission for the Bill to be printed, after which it would be available to us. Are we engaging in the correct procedure?
Madam Speaker:
There is nothing out of order in that procedure.
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