Skip to main content

Mr Speaker's Return

Volume 486: debated on Tuesday 3 April 1951

The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.

May I be allowed to express to you, Mr. Speaker, the pleasure of hon. and right hon. Members at seeing you again in your accustomed place? [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] We congratulate you on your restoration to health, which we trust may soon be complete.

Perhaps I might be allowed to associate myself wholeheartedly with the phrases which the Leader of the House has so happily expressed.

May I say, Sir, how glad we all are to see you back? May I add the desire of all of us that you should take greater care of your health, although we realise how ready we are to tender good advice and how reluctant we are to accept it ourselves?

Though I gather that this is out of order, I should like to say "Thank you" to the right hon. Gentle- men and to all hon. Members of the House for welcoming me back. I was sorry to have to go away. To tell the honest truth, I felt just like a deserter when a battle was on, but my doctors were rather hard-hearted; they would not let me remain. I have to tell the House quite frankly that I am not, for the moment, supposed to sit up very late—[Laughter.]—and, therefore, I hope that the House will forgive me if I have to transfer my powers to my Deputy occupying the Chair.