House of Commons Public Bill Committee Proceedings

House of Commons

Session 2006 - 07
Internet Publications
House of Commons Standing Orders - Public Business

Money

resolutions and

ways and means

resolutions in

connection with

bills.

52.—(1) The Speaker shall put the questions necessary to

dispose of proceedings on motions authorising expenditure in

connection with a bill and on ways and means motions in

connection with a bill—

(a) forthwith, if such a motion is made at the same sitting

as that at which the bill has been read a second time; or

(b) not later than three‑quarters of an hour after the

commencement of those proceedings, if the motion is

made otherwise.

(2) Business to which this order applies may be proceeded

with at any hour, though opposed.

Application of

public money

standing orders

to private bills,

&c.

53. In relation to private bills, provisional order bills and bills

introduced under the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland)

Act 1936, or the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act

1945, the standing orders relating to public money shall have

effect subject to any exceptions prescribed by the standing

orders of this House relating to private business.

Consideration of

estimates.

54.—(1) Three days, other than Fridays, before 5th August,

shall be allotted in each session for the consideration of

estimates set down under the provisions of paragraph (3) of

Standing Order No. 145 (Liaison Committee); and not more

than one day so allotted may be taken in the form of two half

days, not being Fridays.

(2) On any such day—

(a) consideration of estimates or reports of the Liaison

Committee relating thereto shall stand as first business;

and

(b) other business may be taken before the moment of

interruption only if the consideration of estimates has

been concluded.

(3) On any such half day—

(a) proceedings on consideration of estimates or reports

of the Liaison Committee relating thereto, standing as

first business, shall be interrupted at seven o’clock on

Monday or Tuesday, four o’clock on Wednesday or

three o’clock on Thursday; or

(b) notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (2) of this

order, consideration of estimates or reports of the

Liaison Committee relating thereto may be set down

for consideration at the hour specified in sub‑paragraph

(a) above and shall be entered upon at that time:

Provided that on days on which business stands over

until seven o’clock, four o’clock or three o’clock under

the provisions of Standing Order No. 24 (Adjournment

on specific and important matter that should have

urgent consideration) or has been set down for that hour

under the provisions of Standing Order No. 20 (Time

for taking private business) proceedings under this

sub‑paragraph shall not be entered upon until such

business has been disposed of and may then be

proceeded with for three hours, notwithstanding the

provisions of Standing Order No. 9 (Sittings of the

House).

(4) On any day or half day allotted under this order, questions

necessary to dispose of proceedings (other than a dilatory

motion) on the estimates on which debate has been concluded

shall be deferred until the hour prescribed under paragraph (5)

of this order.

(5) At the moment of interruption on an allotted day or half

day, or as soon thereafter as proceedings under the proviso to

paragraph (3)(b) of this order have been disposed of, the

Speaker shall put, successively, any questions deferred under

paragraph (4) of this order, and any questions necessary to

dispose of proceedings on all other estimates appointed for

consideration on that day.

Questions on

voting of

estimates, &c.

55.—(1) On any day to which the provisions of paragraphs

(2), (3) or (4) of this order apply the Speaker shall at the

moment of interruption put the questions on—

(a) any outstanding vote relating to numbers for defence

services;

(b) any motion authorising amounts and limits on

appropriations in aid, set out in outstanding estimates.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this order shall apply

on a day not later than 6th February, if any of the following

total amounts have been put down for consideration:

(a) votes on account for the coming financial year;

(b) supplementary and new estimates for the current

financial year which have been presented at least

fourteen days previously.

(3) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this order shall apply

on a day not later than 18th March, if any of the following

numbers or total amounts have been put down for

consideration:

(a) votes relating to numbers for defence services;

(b) supplementary and new estimates for the current

financial year which have been presented at least

fourteen days previously;

(c) excess votes, provided that the Committee of Public

Accounts has reported that it sees no objection to the

amounts and modifications to limits on appropriations

in aid necessary being authorised by excess vote.

(4) The provisions of paragraph (1) of this order shall apply

on a day not later than 5th August in respect of any motion

authorising amounts, and limits on appropriations in aid, set

out in outstanding estimates.

(5) At least two days’ notice shall be given of the motions

which are to be put down for consideration under paragraphs

(2), (3) or (4) of this order.

(6) The provisions of this order shall not apply to any vote of

credit or votes for supplementary or additional estimates for

war expenditure.

Consolidated

Fund Bills.

56. When a motion shall have been made for the second

reading of a Consolidated Fund or an Appropriation Bill, the

question thereon shall be put forthwith, no order shall be made

for the committal of the bill and the question for third reading

shall be put forthwith; and the said questions may be decided

at any hour, though opposed.

Public Bills

Presentation and

first reading.

57.—(1) A Member may, after notice, present a bill without

previously obtaining leave from the House to bring in the same.

(2) When a bill is presented either in pursuance of an order of

the House or under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this

order, the bill shall be read the first time without any question

being put, shall be ordered to be read a second time on such day

as the Member presenting it shall appoint, and shall be ordered

to be printed.

Bills brought

from the Lords.

57A.—(1) If a Member informs the Clerks at the Table of his

intention to take charge of a bill which has been brought from

the Lords, the bill shall be deemed to have been read the first

time on the day on which the Member so informs the Clerks,

and to have been ordered to be read a second time on such day

as he shall appoint, and shall be recorded in the Journal of the

House as having been read the first time and ordered to be read

a second time on the day so appointed, and shall be ordered to

be printed.

(2) If a public bill is passed by the Lords and carried to the

office of the Clerk of the House at a time when this House is

not sitting, then, provided that a Member shall have notified the

Clerks at the Table, in writing, of his intention to take charge

of the bill—

(a) the Clerk of the House shall arrange for the printing

and circulation of copies of the bill, and

(b) the bill shall be recorded in the Journal of the House

as having been read the first time on the next sitting day

and as having been ordered to be printed pursuant to

this standing order and to be read a second time on such

day as the Member shall have appointed.

Consolidation

bills.

58.—(1) In this order ‘a consolidation bill’ means a public

bill which falls to be considered by the select committee

appointed under Standing Order No. 140 (Joint Committee on

Consolidation, &c., Bills).

(2) Notices of amendments, new clauses and new schedules

to be moved in committee in respect of a consolidation bill may

be received by the Clerks at the Table before the bill has been

read a second time.

(3) When a motion shall have been made for the second

reading, or for the third reading, of a consolidation bill, the

question thereon shall be put forthwith.

(4) If a motion that a consolidation bill be not committed is

made by a Minister of the Crown immediately after the bill has

been read a second time, the motion shall not require notice and

the question thereon shall be put forthwith and may be decided

at any hour, though opposed.

Law Commission

bills.

59.—(1) Any public bill, the main purpose of which is to

give effect to proposals contained in a report by either of the

Law Commissions, other than a private Member’s bill or a bill

to which Standing Order No. 58 (Consolidation bills) applies,

shall, when it is set down for second reading, stand referred to

a second reading committee, unless—

(a) the House otherwise orders, or

(b) the bill is referred to the Scottish Grand Committee.

(2) If a motion that a bill such as is referred to in paragraph

(1) above shall no longer stand referred to a second reading

committee is made by a Minister of the Crown at the

commencement of public business, the question thereon shall

be put forthwith.

(3) The provisions of paragraphs (3) to (5) of Standing Order

No. 90 (Second reading committees) shall apply to any bill

referred to a second reading committee under paragraph (1)

above.

Tax law rewrite

bills.

60.—(1) In this order ‘a tax law rewrite bill’ means a bill

which has been presented, or brought in upon an order of the

House, by a Minister of the Crown and which has been ordered

to be proceeded with as such a bill.

(2) A motion may be made by a Minister of the Crown at the

commencement of public business, that a specified bill be so

proceeded with, and the question thereon shall be put

forthwith.

(3) A tax law rewrite bill shall, upon the making of an order

under paragraph (2) above, stand referred to a second reading

committee unless the House otherwise orders.

(4) A motion may be made by a Minister of the Crown at the

commencement of public business, that a tax law rewrite bill

shall no longer stand referred to a second reading committee,

and the question thereon shall be put forthwith.

(5) The provisions of paragraphs (3) to (5) of Standing Order

No. 90 (Second reading committees) shall apply to any bill

referred to a second reading committee under paragraph (3)

above.

(6) A tax law rewrite bill shall, upon its being read a second

time, stand committed to the Joint Committee on Tax Law

Rewrite Bills.

(7) A bill which has been reported from the said Joint

Committee shall stand re‑committed to a committee of the

whole House unless the House otherwise orders.

(8) If a motion that the committee of the whole House be

discharged from considering a tax law rewrite bill is made by a

Minister of the Crown immediately after the order of the day

has been read for the House to resolve itself into a committee

on the bill, the motion shall not require notice and the question

thereon shall be put forthwith and may be decided at any hour,

though opposed; and if such question is agreed to the bill shall

be ordered to be read the third time.