SLACKERS IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19760, 10 January 1928, Page 8

SLACKERS IN PARLIAMENT

STAY-AT-HOME POLITICS The ‘Sunday Chronicle' of November 20 published figures which (as it says) suggest that many M.P.s are shirking the duties they are paid to perform. The absence of members from the House of Commons approaches the proportions of a public scandal. During the first two sessions of this year the House took 313 divisions. No fewer than 132 members were absent from more than half- of the divisions, and their constituents accordingly were virtually disfranchised. As many as seventy-six members were absent from two out of every three of the divisions, and the records of some of them are astounding. One M.P., for instance, was only present at eighty-seven divisions. The Communist,, Mr Saklatvala, was only present at eighty-three. UNABLE TO FORM QUORUM. Another member was only present at one division, yet his constituents are not able to obtain another voice to represent them in 1 Parliament. The delinquents are not confined merely to back benchers, for there wore nine ex-Ministers and Privy Councillors who had fewer,than 100 attendances. This indifference to the call of duty affects the sittings of the committees as well, and more than once the chairman of the Standing Committee has been unable to proceed with business because there were not enough members present to form a quorum. On the Standing Committee which 'dealt with the Filins Bill, for instance, twenty members out of the fifty-two were absent from more than half of the divisions. The grave neglect of duty disclosed by this year’s register of attendance is not a mere isolated example. If anything, last year’s figures were worse, for 260 members were absent from more than half the divisions. On the Kitchen Committee there were members who only attended two and three out of the fourteen meetings. On the' Public Accounts Committee—about as important a committee as there is—one member only attended six and another only two of the thirty-nine meetings. On the Estimates Committee one member only attended five and another only two of the twenty-six meetings.