Sessional Information Digest: 1998-99
Section A1
Sittings of the House and Dates of Session
The House sat Monday - Friday, and on all but 9 Fridays during the following periods (all dates inclusive).
24 November - 17 December 1998
11 January - 16 February 1999
22 February - 31 March 1999
13 April -30 April 1999
4 May - 26 May 1999
8 June - 27 July 1999
19 October - 11 November 1999
The total number of sitting days was 149. The House sat for 1378 hours and 50 minutes, and the average length of the daily sitting (including Fridays) was 9 hours and 15 minutes
The House did not sit on the following Fridays: 4 & 11 December 1998, 15, 22 & 29 January, 5 & 12 February, 9 July and 22 October 1999.
Analysis of the time of the session
|
Type of Business |
Total time spent (hours:minutes) |
|
1 |
Addresses, other than Prayers |
38.21 |
| |
|
|
|
2 |
Government Bills |
|
| |
Second Reading debate (Bills committed to Standing Committee) |
88.19 |
| |
Second Reading debate (Bills committed to a Committee of the Whole House) |
44.43 |
| |
Committee of the Whole House |
57.26 |
| |
Consideration (Report stage) |
120.53 |
| |
Third Reading |
17.10 |
| |
Lords Amendments |
48.37 |
| |
Allocation of time |
12.28 |
| |
Committal Motions |
0.03 |
| |
|
|
|
3 |
Private Members' Bills |
|
| |
Motions for the introduction of Ten Minute Rule Bills |
10.49 |
| |
Second Reading and all stages |
31.42 |
| |
Other stages |
28.54 |
|
4 |
Private Business |
8.24 |
|
5 |
Government motions |
|
| |
European Community Documents |
3.58 |
| |
General |
24.12 |
|
6 |
Opposition motions |
|
| |
Opposition Days |
125.49 |
| |
Opposition Motions in Government Time |
6.45 |
|
7 |
Adjournment |
|
| |
Government debates on motions for the Adjournment |
130.03 |
| |
Last day before recess |
11.39 |
| |
Emergency debates (SO No 24) |
00.00 |
| |
Daily (at end of day) |
75.28 |
| |
Wednesday morning adjournment |
133.50 |
|
8 |
Estimates |
8.15 |
|
9 |
Money Resolutions |
3.06 |
|
10 |
Ways and Means Resolutions (including Budget Debate) |
27.04 |
|
11 |
Affirmative Statutory Instruments |
35.19 |
|
12 |
Prayers against Instruments |
1.43 |
|
13 |
|
|
| |
Oral Questions |
119.54 |
| |
Private Notice Questions |
5.24 |
| |
Statements |
68.32 |
| |
Business Statements |
21.16 |
| |
Standing Order No. 24 Applications* |
0.15 |
| |
Points of Order |
5.15 |
| |
Public Petitions |
1.06 |
| |
Miscellaneous |
30.36 |
|
Daily Prayers |
12.25 |
|
TOTAL |
1378.50 |
Note: The time taken up by Divisions is included with the class of business upon which the divisions were called
* Previously SO No 20 Applications
Section A2
Parliamentary Questions
Statistics of Parliamentary Questions are available in two forms. The figures for each, which for various reasons (mainly owing to methods of counting and recording) are not exactly comparable, are as follows:
Questions appearing on the Order Paper calculated by the Journal Office
|
Appearing on the Order Paper for Oral Answer |
5, 008 1 |
|
Put down for priority Written answer |
13,199 |
|
Put down for non-priority Written Answer |
18,950 |
| |
|
|
Total |
37, 157 |
Note: Not more than about half of all questions put down for Oral Answer will receive such an answer - the rest are answered in writing
Questions appearing in Hansard, and indexed in the Parliamentary On-line Indexing Service (POLIS)
|
Oral replies (including supplementaries) |
4,774 2 |
|
Written replies |
31,649 3 |
|
Total |
36,423 |
The total number of private notice questions (excluding Business Questions) was 12
Section A3
Opposition Days
|
Date |
Day No. |
Subject of Debate |
|
9.12.98 |
1 |
- Decommissioning and the release of prisoners
- Tax harmonisation
|
|
13.1.99 |
2 |
- Government information (LD)
- Role of the UK in Europe (LD)
|
|
18.1.99 |
3 |
- Rationing in the NHS
- Pensioners and dividend tax credits
|
|
27.1.99 |
4 |
- Terrorist mutilations in Northern Ireland
- London Underground
|
|
3.2.99 |
5 |
- Governments record on pensions
- Planning and green belt
|
|
2.3.99 |
6 |
- Sierra Leone
- Burdens on schools
|
|
18.3.99 |
7 |
- Reduction in the strength of the police
- Governments roads policy
|
|
22.3.99 |
8 |
- Council tax increases (LD)
- Europe, America and the World Trade Organisation (LD)
|
|
21.4.99 |
9 |
- Taxation of the road haulage industry
- The state if British livestock farming
|
|
29.4.99 |
10 |
- Government policies on housing and the green belt
- Job losses, the state of industry and the new deal
|
|
11.5.99 |
11 |
- Governments pensions policy
- Implications of Scottish and Welsh devolution for the Westminster Parliament
|
|
13.5.99 |
12 |
- American food exports and European trade policy (LD)
- Parliamentary democracy
|
|
19.5.99 |
13 |
- Fraud in the European Union budget
- Conditions of service in NHS personnel
|
|
23.6.99
2.11.99 |
14 |
- Proportional representation
- Planning
|
|
24.6.99 |
15 |
- Governments policy for widows (LD)
- Food and supermarkets (LD)
|
|
29.6.99 |
16 |
- Delays in the issue of passports
- Planning and transport congestion
|
|
7.7.99 |
17 |
- Dairy industry
- Choice and diversity in education
|
|
15.7.99 |
18 |
- Impact of the Governments policies on the motorist
- Future of post offices
|
|
20.7.99 |
19 |
- Health care provision in the United Kingdom
- Governments proposed energy tax
|
|
20.10.99 |
20 |
- Food and farming (LD)
- Transport safety (LD)
|
|
26.10.99 |
21 |
- Home Office issues
National Health Service |
LD - Liberal Democrat motions
Section A4
Use of Guillotine (Programme Motions)
The Guillotine, or Allocation of Time Motion (ATM), is used to timetable proceedings on a Bill. Session 1997/98 saw the introduction, on a trial basis, for some Bills of a Programme Motion (PM). In the 1998-99 Session, Guillotine or Programme Motions were used 19 times on 12 Bills during the session. Factsheet 23, available from the House of Commons Information Office, contains more information. The details are as follows:
|
Bill title | Date of | Stages | Progress before | Time allowed | Further |
| and length | ATM/Prog | guillotined | ATM/Prog (No. of | under ATM/Prog | time actually |
| | | sittings on SC: | | spent in |
| | | clause reached) | | Cttee |
European Parliamentary | 2.12.98 | All Stages | 1R | All Stages-4hrs |
Elections |
(6cl, 4sch.) |
| Greater London | 13.1.99* | C | 1R, 2R | CWH-2 days |
Authority | Prog+ | | | SC - until 12.50pm |
(227cl, 21sch) | | | | on 30.3.99 |
| 8.11.99 | LA | | LA - 1/2 day |
|
- ditto - | 30.4.99* | R,3R | 1R,2R,C | R+3R-2 days |
| Prog+ |
|
Local | 24.3.99 | R, 3R | 1R, 2R,C | R+3R-5 hrs |
Government | 26.7.99 | LA | | LA - 3 hrs |
(29cl, 2 sch) |
|
Welfare Reform | 20.5.99 | R,3R | 1R,2R,C | R+3R-6hrs |
and Pensions | 3.11.99 | LA | | LA - 1/2 day |
(75cl, 10sch) |
|
Health [HL] | 15.6.99 | R,3R | 1R,2R,C | R+3R-5hrs (inc. ATM) |
(62cl, 5 sch) |
|
Immigration | 15.6.99 | R,3R | 1R,2R,C | R+3R-2 days |
and Asylum | | | | (until midnight each day) |
(138ch, 14 sch) | 9.11.99 | LA | | LA - 5 hrs |
|
Tax Credits | 22.6.99* | LA | 1R,2R,C,R+3R | LA - 31/2hrs |
(18cl, 6 sch) | Prog+ |
|
Access to | 22.6.99* | R+3R | 1R,2R,C | R+3R-43/4hrs |
Justice [HL] | Prog+ |
(88cl, 12 sch) |
|
Youth Justice | 8.7.99* | R+3R | 1R,2R,C | R+3R-6hrs |
and Criminal | Prog+ |
Evidence [HL] |
(66cl, 7sch) |
|
Northern | 13.7.99 | All stages | 1R | All stages - 1 day |
Ireland | Prog+ |
(6cl, 2sch) |
|
Food | 22.7.99 | R&3R | 1R,2R,C | R&3R - 1 day |
Standards | 8.11.99 | LA | | LA - 11/2 hrs |
(42cl, 5sch) |
|
Employment | 22.7.99 | LA | 1R,2R,C,R&3R | LA-3hrs |
Relations | 26.7.99 | LA | | LA - 1 hr |
(38cl, 5sch) |
* Proceedings formal, no debate
+ All Party Programme Motion
For abbreviations see Section B1: Complete List of Public Bills: General Notes
Section A5
Estimates Days
Standing Order No 54 provides that three days shall be allotted during each session for the consideration of Estimates (see Factsheet No 18). The Subjects are set down by resolution of the Liaison Committee.
|
Date |
No. of Allotted Day |
Estimate class no. and Vote discussed |
Principal Subjects |
| |
|
|
|
|
10.12.98 |
1st (part 1) |
Class IV, Vote 1 |
Prison sentences |
| |
|
|
|
|
10.12.98 |
1st (part 2) |
Class I, Vote 1 |
New deal |
| |
|
|
|
|
12.7.99 |
2nd (part 1) |
Class I, Vote 4 |
School inspections |
| |
|
|
|
|
12.7.99 |
2nd (part 2) |
Class III |
Transport |
| |
|
|
|
Section A6
Government Substantive Motions
|
Date |
Subject |
| |
|
|
24.11.99 |
Sessional Orders |
|
26.11.98 |
Office Costs etc. Allowances |
|
16.12.98 |
Modernisation of the House |
|
8.2.99 |
Food Standards |
|
23.2.99 |
Joint Committee on Draft Financial Services and Markets Bill |
|
19.3.99 |
Office Costs etc. Allowances |
|
21.5.99 |
Joint Committee on Draft Local Government (Organisation and Standards) Bill |
|
24.5.99 |
Modernisation of the House |
|
26.5.99 |
Members' Travel |
|
26.5.99 |
Opposition Parties (Financial Assistance) |
|
26.5.99 |
Select Committees (Quorum) |
|
26.5.99 |
Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund |
|
23.6.99 |
Speakers' Absence |
|
12.7.99 |
Standards and Privileges |
|
21.10.99 |
Standards and Privileges |
|
21.10.99 |
Procedural Consequences of Devolution |
|
25.10.99 |
Financial Services and Markets Bill (Suspension) |
|
25.10.99 |
Thursday sittings |
|
25.10.99 |
Meetings of Standing Committees |
|
25.10.99 |
Sittings in Westminster Hall |
|
25.10.99 |
Questions to Ministers |
|
25.10.99 |
Select committees (Devolution) |
|
25.10.99 |
Advocate General for Scotland |
Section A7
Standing Order No 24
Standing Order No 24 allows Members to suggest that a specific and important matter should have urgent consideration and that an emergency debate be held upon it. It is for the Speaker to decide whether the matter is sufficiently specific, important and urgent to warrant giving it precedence, and among other things to have regard to the probability of the matter being brought before the House by other means; the Chair in general gives leave very seldom. During the 1998-99 Session, there were 3 unsuccessful applications.
Section A8
Divisions
The total number of divisions during the Session was 323
Section A9
Early Day Motions
The total number of Early Day Motions tabled during the Session was 1009, of which 51 were prayers for the annulment of statutory instruments. Factsheet No 30 on Early Day Motions is available from the House of Commons Information Office.
1. Of which 1,943 received an an oral answer in the House on one of the 126 days on which such answers were given. Back
2. Number of tabled questions answered (excluding supplementaries) was 1,936.
Back
3. With POLIS, several written questions from the same Member, if answered together by the Minister, may have been treated as one question.
Back
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