The Committee stage of the Parliament Bill was begun in
the House of Lords on Wednesday. The principal amend- ment discussed was moved by Lord Cromer with a view to substituting a joint committee for the Speaker as the tribunal for deciding what Bills are purely Money Bills. Lord Cromer explained that everyone would wish to treat with the highest respect not merely the present Speaker, but the dignified office held by him. But when these new functions were im- posed upon him he would be more than human if he were not biassed by a desire to assert the privileges of the House over which he presided. It was proposed that the Speaker should be chairman of the joint committee, which was to con- sist of fourteen members besides himself, seven from each House, and in which he would have a casting vote. The choice of the members was to lie with the Lord Chancellor and Speaker. Lord Cromer pointed out that the only ques- tion at issue was the best means for preventing tacking, and appealed for a reasonable settlement.
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