Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business 2007-08 Contents
Act of Parliament, proceedings under, length of debate, 16
Adjournment,
amendments tabled during, 64
debates,
half-hour, 9(7)
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 116(5)
scope of,
references to legislation, 30
urgent debate, Appendix p 171,
Scottish Grand Committee, 99 100(6)
Welsh Grand Committee, 108(5)
general committees, 89(3)(c)
disorder, by Speaker because of, 46
earlier meeting during, 13
Friday to Monday, 11(6)
motion lapses at moment of interruption, 9(3)
papers presented during, 158 159
periodic, 25
select committees,
reports &c. during, 137
sittings during, 123
Thursday to Monday, 12(2)
when movable, 9(2)
without question put, 9(7)
Administration Committee, 139
select committee witnesses, 132
Aids and supplies, Bills of, not to be brought from Lords, 80
Allocation of time orders, 83
Business Committee, 82
business sub-committees, 120
Allotted days,
estimates, 54(1)
opposition business, 14(2)
Amendments,
bills, to,
powers of committees to consider, 65
receipt of during adjournment, 64
Amendments continued,
report stage, when authorisation required, 75
third reading, must be merely verbal, 77
early day motions, to, receipt of, 22(2)
general committees, referred to, 89(3)(a)
Lords, 78
pecuniary penalties, and, 79
motions to consider specified matters, to, 24B
non-sitting Fridays, tabled on, 12(3)
notice period in public bill committees, Appendix p 168,
Queen’s Speech debate, at end of, 33
question to be proposed on, 31
selection of, 32
in general committees, 89(3)(a)
Speaker’s election, not allowed, 1B(14)
Anticipation rule, 28
Appropriation Bills,
committal procedure does not apply, 63(1)
proceedings on, 56
Ballots,
election of Speaker, 1B
private Members’ bills, 14(6)
Bills, hybrid, 61
Bills, private,
committees, service of suspended Member on, 45(2)
pecuniary penalties, &c., imposed by Lords, 78
public money standing orders, and, 53
Bills, provisional order,
committal procedure does not apply, 63(1)
hybridity rules do not apply, 61
public money standing orders, and, 53
Bills, public,
See also Committee of the whole House; Committees, public bill,
allocation of time to, 83
amendments. See under Amendments,
carry-over, 80A
clause or schedule standing part, debate on, 68
general committees, in, 89(3)(c)
clause, new, 69
Bills, public continued,
committal, 63
motions subject to selection, 32(4)
programme orders, under, 83A 84A(2)
committees’ powers to consider amendments, 65
consideration of report. See subheading report stage,
Consolidated Fund or Appropriation, proceedings on, 56
committal procedure does not apply, 63(1)
consolidation, 58
joint committee, 140
Examiners, referred to, 61
hybrid, 61
introduction of, 57
Law Commission bills, 59
and consolidation, 140(1)(d)–(1)(e)
long title amended, 65
Lords amendments and reasons, 78
pecuniary penalties, 79
Lords, brought from, 57A
pecuniary penalties, 79
private Members, by, 14(7)(c)
privilege, 80
public charge, creating, 50(2)
money and ways and means resolutions on, 52
preamble postponed, 67
presentation, 57
private Members’,
ballot, 14(6)
days for, 14(4)
precedence, 14(5)–(8)
ten-minute rule, 23
writs and, 19
programming, 83A–I
proposal of question, motions for, 29
public charge as main purpose, 50
motions subject to selection, 32(4)
Bills, public continued,
report stage,
amendments requiring authorisation, 75
as amended in committee of whole House, 71 72
general committee, referred for consideration in, 92
public bill committee, bills reported from, 73
Scottish, 97
public bill committees, see Committees, public bill, Scottish,
second reading,
amendments to question, 62
amendment to leave out ’now’, 31(1)
bill considered in Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 113
bill considered in Scottish Grand Committee, 97(6)
bill considered in Welsh Grand Committee, 106
second reading committee, 90
Law Commission bills, 59
tax law rewrite bills, 60
tax law rewrite bills, 60
committal discharged, 60(8) 66
committal procedure does not apply, 63(1)
joint committee, 152C
temporary laws, duration to be specified, 81
third reading,
amendments to bill must be merely verbal, 77
amendments to question, 62
amendment to leave out ’now’, 31(1)
bill considered in Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 113
bill considered in Scottish Grand Committee, 97
Wales, relating to,,
public bill committee composition, 86(2)(ii) 92(2)
Welsh Grand Committee, and, 106
ways and means resolution, brought in on, exempted, 15(1)(a)
Broadcasting, Select Committee on, 139
Budget Day, and ten-minute rule bills, 23(3)
Business Committee, 82
Business of the House,
See also Private Business,
earlier meeting of House, at, 13(2)
exemption motions, 15(2)–(6)
government business has precedence, 14(1)
Business of the House continued,
interruption of, 9(3)
and closure motions, 9(4)
and exemption motions, 15(2)–(6)
on Fridays, 11(2)(b)
not reached or disposed of, 9(5)
opposed, when taken after moment of interruption, 9(6) 15(1)
opposition parties, 14(2)–(3)
order of, 9
Fridays, 11
private Members’, 14(4)–(8)
Business sub-committees, 120
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Committee, 152
Carry-over of bills, 80A
Chairman of Ways and Means, 2 3
See also Committee of the whole House, Deputy Speaker,
Business Committee, and, 82
Committees, public bill,
member of Chairmen’s Panel, 4(2)
private business, and, 20
programming committees, and, 83B
requests Temporary Chairmen to take Chair, 4(1)
Chairmen,
Westminster Hall sittings, 10(5)
temporary, 4
may not,
accept closure, 36(3)
accept motion to propose question, 29(2)
select amendments, 32(2)
Children, Schools and Families Committee, 152
Church of England Measures, 118(3)(b)
Clauses, see under Bills, Public,
Clerk at the Table,
absence of Speaker, &c., notifies, 3
amendments to consolidation bills, receives, 58(2)
Lords bills, notified that Member will take charge, 14(7) 50(2) 57A(1) 80A(1)(b)
orders of the day,
reads, 26
Clerk at the Table continued,
receives instructions to defer, 9(5)
petitions, reads, 154(3)
private Members’ bills, receives nomination of another Member to present, 14(6)
Clerk of the House,
petitions, and, 156
select committee reports, and, 134
supervises ballot to elect Speaker, 1A
Closure of debate, 36
at interruption of business, 9(4)
general committees, in, 89(3)(b)
temporary chairman may not accept, 85(5)
majority required, 37
Committees, general,
adjournment of, 88(2)
amendments (referral and selection), 89(3)(a)
business sub-committees, 120
chairmen, 85
closure, 89(3)(b)
constitution and membership, 84 86
debate on clause or schedule standing part, 89(3)(c)
definition of, 84
delegated legislation, 118
dilatory motions, 83I(6) 89(3)(c)
division in House, sitting suspended for, 89(4)
irrelevance or repetition, 89(3)(c)
law officers, attendance of, 87
meetings, 88. See also Northern Ireland Scottish and Welsh Grand Committees,
ministers, attendance of, 87
minutes of proceedings of, 89(3)(d) 89(5) 128 129
public, members of, admission of, 89(2) 91 161(2)
quorum, 89(1) 89(3)(d) 117(4) 119(4)
See also Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh Grand Committees,
report stage, for, 92
second reading committee, 90
Law Commission bills, 59
tax law rewrite bills, 60
Wales, bills relating to, for, 92(2)
Committees, grand, see Northern Ireland Grand Committee, Scottish Grand Committee, Welsh Grand Committee,
Committees, joint,
Human Rights, 152B
motions to commit bills to, 63(2)
Statutory Instruments, 151
Tax Law Rewrite Bills, 152C
Committees, private bill, service of suspended Member on, 44(5)
Committees, public bill,
See also Committees, general,
amendments, notice period, Appendix p 168,
conclusion of proceedings under programme order, 83D
power to send for persons, papers and records, 63 84A(3)
under a programme motion, 83A 84A(2)
private members’ bills, restrictions and nomination, 84A(5)
programming sub-committees, 83C
Scottish, 84A(4)
committal to, 97(5)
membership, 86(2)(i)
Wales, bill relating to, for, 86(2)(ii)
Committees, second reading, see under Committees, general,
Committees, select,
See also names of particular committees,
chairmen,
committal of bill to, 63(2)
joint sittings, for, 137A(1)(d)
term limits, for, 122A
documents, withdrawal or alteration of, 127
evidence, communication to other committees, other Parliaments etc., 137A(1)
evidence, publication before reporting to House, 136
joint meetings, 137A
quorum at, 124(2)
lists of members, 122
Members not on committee, withdrawal of, 126
memoranda, authorising of publishing, 135
minutes of evidence,
members’ names recorded in, 130 131
power to report, 133
minutes of proceedings, 129
members’ names for attendance and voting, 128
Committees, select continued,
nomination of, 121 Appendix p 168,
motions at commencement of public business, 23(1)
opposed motions for,
exempted business, 15(1)(c)
on Fridays, 11(2)(c)
oath or affirmation, 132
public, members of,
admission of, 125
misconduct by, 161(2)
quorum, 124
reports,
advance copies of, 134
debates on, in Westminster Hall, 10(13)
during adjournments, 137
joint, 137A
power to make, 133
sittings during adjournment, 123
witnesses’ names, publication of, 135
working with other committees, 137A
Committee of the whole House,
chairman,
leaves chair, 70
at 11 a.m. on Fridays, 11(5)
temporary, 4(1)
closure of debate, 36
committal of bills to, 63(2)
conclusion of proceedings under programme order, 83D
debate on clause or schedule standing part, 68
dilatory motions, 34 35 83I(6)
instructions to, 66
interruption of business, 9(3)
irrelevance or repetition, 42
motions to commit a bill to, 63(2) 63(3)
motions to propose question in, 29
order of the day for, procedure on, 66
private sittings, motions for, 163
selection of amendments, 32(2)–(4)
Communities and Local Government Committee, 152
Consolidated Fund Bills,
committal procedure does not apply, 49 63(1)
proceedings on, 56
Consolidation, &c., Bills, 58
Joint Committee on, 140
Crown.,
See also Ministers, Queen’s Recommendation,
Debts to, releasing or compounding, require resolution, 49
Culture, Media and Sport Committee, 152
Debate.,
See also Anticipation rule, Closure, Dilatory motions, Disorder, Emergency debates, Second Speeches, Short Speeches, Time limits on speeches, Topical debates.,
on specified matters, lapse, 9(3)
Defence Committee, 152
Defence services Vote, 55
Delegated legislation,
debates in House, 16
delegated legislation committees, 118
Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, 151
negative procedure, 11(3) 17 115
Northern Ireland consolidation legislation, 140(1)(f)
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 114 115
notification of instruments not laid, 159 160
regulatory reform orders, 18 141
remedial orders, 152B
Scottish Grand Committee, 3 98
See also Committee of whole House,
members of Chairmen’s Panel, 4(2)
Deputy Speaker,
See also Chairman of Ways and Means,
earlier meeting of House, summons, 13(3)
leaves chair when Speaker to be elected, 1
powers, 3
selection of amendments, 32
Dilatory motions, 34
general committees, in, 89(3)(c)
lapse at moment of interruption, 9(3)
programming, under, 83I(6)
Speaker’s powers, 35
Disorder,
public, members of, by, 161
Speaker’s powers, 43–6
Divisions, 38–9
deferred, 41A
general committee sitting suspended for, 89(4)
members voting to be listed (committees), 89(3)(d) 128
quorum, 41
unnecessarily claimed, 40
Elections, opposed writs for, on private Members’ days, 19
Emergency debates , 24
Environmental Audit Committee, 152A
opinions on European Union documents, 143(11)
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, 152
Estimates,
exemption motion, effect on, 15(2)
House of Commons Members Estimate Committee, 152D
selection of amendments, 32(5)
voting on, 55
European Scrutiny Committee, 143
European Union documents,
definition and scrutiny, 143
length and debate, 16
resolution regarding scrutiny and ministerial agreement, Appendix p 165,
standing committees, 119
Examiners of Petitions, referral of public bills, 61
Excess votes, 55(3)(c)
Finance and Services Committee, 144
considers recommendations involving expenditure, 139(1) 144(1)(c)
Foreign Affairs Committee, 152
Fridays,
House not sitting, 12
sittings, 11
General Committees, see Committees, General,
Government departments, select committees related to, 152
opinions on European Union documents, 143(11)
Grand Committees, see Northern Ireland Grand Committee, Scottish Grand Committee, Welsh Grand Committee,
Guillotines, see Allocation of time,
Health Committee, 152
Health Service Commissioners, 146
Home Affairs Committee, 152
House,
See also Adjournment, Business of the House,
earlier meeting, 13
estimates of expenditure, and domestic committees, 139(1) 144(1)(a)
Fridays, non-sitting, 12
hour of meeting, 9(1)
Fridays, 11
when ballot held to elect Speaker, 1B(14)
private sittings, motions for, 163
quorum, 41
suspension for grave disorder, 46
Westminster Hall sittings, 10
House of Commons Commission,
advice to, 145(1)(b)
communication of evidence to, 139(4)(c) 144(4)(b)
recommendations to, 139(1)
House of Commons Members Estimate Committee, 152D
Human Rights, Joint Committe on, 152B
Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee, 152
Instructions,
selection of, 32(4)
to committee on bill, when considered, 66
to particular select committees, 151(10) 151(9)
International Development Committee, 152
Irrelevance in debate, 42
general committees, 89(3)(c)
Joint committees, see Committees, joint,
Justice Committee, 152
Law Commission bills, 59
and consolidation, 140(1)(d) 140(1)(e)
Law officers,
attendance at Committee on Standards and Privileges, 149(9)
attendance at general committees, 87(1)
Legislative reform orders, proceedings in House, 18
Liaison Committee, 145
debates on select committee reports in Westminser Hall, 10(13)
estimates, 54(1)–(3)
membership, Appendix p 168,
Lords, House of,
See also under Bills, public; see also Committees, joint, 57A(2)
Lords may attend private sittings of Commons, 163(2)
select committees, Commons Members’ evidence to, 138
Measures, Church of England, 118(4)(b)
Members,
disorder by, 43
interests and conduct, complaints on, 149 150
irrelevance or tedious repetition by, 42
standing committees, in, 89(3)(c)
Lords select committees, attendance at, 138
members of the public, not to bring into certain areas, 162
named, 44
personal explanations (Fridays), 11(4)
presiding over Speaker’s election, 1
questions to, 21
select committees, withdrawal of non-nominated, 126
sub judice resolution, breach of, 42A
effect on salary, 45A
Ministers,
See also Statements,
attendance at,
general committees on certain bills, 87(2)
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 109(4)
Ministers continued,
Scottish Grand Committee, 93(3)
Welsh Grand Committee, 102(4)
reply to petitions, 156
Minutes of Proceedings,
general committees, 89(3)(d) 89(5)
select and general committees, 128 129
Modernisation of the House of Commons, Appendix p 168,
Money resolutions on bills, 52
Lords amendments not covered by, 78(3)
Money, public,
private bills, &c., application of standing orders to, 53
Queen’s recommendation, 48
resolutions required, 49
Motions,
for early day, amendments and added names to, 22(2)
subject to selection, 32(4)
National Audit Office, evidence from, transmission to other committees, 137A
New clauses, 69
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, 152
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 109
adjournment debates, 109(3)(g) 116(1)(h) 116(5)
bills, 113
delegated legislation, 115 118(5)
legislative proposals, 114
ministerial statements, 112
questions, 110
short debates, 111
sittings, 116
Northern Ireland, Parliamentary Ombudsman for, 146
select committee witnesses, 132
Official Report,
general committees, 84A(3) 94(4) 103(4) 110(4)
written statements, 22A
questions on amendments on, 31(2)
Opposition days continued,
Scottish Grand Committee debates, 99(1)
Orders of the Day,
committee of whole House, for, 66
not disposed of or not reached, deferred, 9(5)
order of disposal, 27
read by Clerk, 26
Westminster Hall, to be taken in, 10(7)
Papers, Parliamentary, 158 159 160
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, 146
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, 149 150
Pecuniary penalties in Lords bills and Lords amendments, 79
Petitions, public,
pesent personal grievance, 155
presentation of, 153
printing and replies, 156
public money, relating to, 48
tax against imposition of, 157
when taken, 154
Fridays, 11(1)
Prayers against Statutory Instruments, 17 118(4)
Prayers, reserving of seats at, 7 8
Preambles to bills, postponed, 67
Private Business,
See also Bills, private,
Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936, see Bills, Provisional Order,
Private Members’ bills, see under Bills, public,
Privilege,
See also Standards and Privileges,
Lords bills and amendments, and, 78–80
publication of evidence, 136
Procedure Committee, 147
Programming of bills,
carried-over bill, and, 80A(12)
conclusion of proceedings,
consideration and third reading, 83E
Lords amendments and later stages, 83F 83G 83H
standing committee and committee of whole House, 83D
Programming of bills continued,
programme motions and orders, 83A
programming committees, 83B
programming sub-committees, 83C
supplementary provisions, 83I
Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1968, motions under, 51(2)
Provisional Order of Bills, see Bills, provisional order,
Public Accounts, Committee of, 148
excess votes, 55(3)(c)
opinions on European Union documents, 143(11)
Public Administration, Select Committee on, 146
opinions on European Union documents, 143(11)
Public bill committees, see Committees, public bill,
Public bills, see Bills, public,
Public Bill Office,
amendments,
during adjournments, 64
on non-sitting Fridays, 12(3)(b)
notice of ten-minute rule bills, 23(2)
Public money,
petitions, grants and charges, 48 49
private bills, &c., application of standing orders to, 53
Public, members of the,
admitted to general committees, 89(2)
admitted to select committees, 125
Queen’s recommendation, 48
Questions,
European Standing Committees, 119(7)
non-sitting Fridays, and, 12(3)
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, in, 110
notices of, 22
notices of during September, 22B
Scotland or Wales, relating to, Appendix, p. 160 ,
Scottish Grand Committee, in, 94
urgent, 21(2)
Fridays, 11(4)
Welsh Grand Committee, in, 103
Westminster Hall, in, 10(3)
Questions continued,
written answer, for, when sitting broken, 21(3)
Question, proposal of, motions for, 29 89(3)(b)
majority required, 37
Quorum,
See also under Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Grand Committees,
general committees, 89(1) 89(3)(d)
House, 41
select committees, 124
Westminster Hall, 10(8)
motions subject to selection, 32(4)
Regional Affairs Committee, 117
Register of Members’ Interests, 149 150
Regulatory Reform Committee, 141
Remedial orders, 152B
Repetition in debate, 42
general committees, in, 89
Returns, unopposed, when taken, 9(1) 11(1)
Schedules, see Bills, public; clauses,
Scottish Affairs Committee, 152
Scottish Grand Committee, 93
adjournment debates, 99 100(6)
bills in relation to their principle, 97
delegated legislation, 98
ministerial statements, 96
questions, 94
report stage of bills, 92(1)
short debates, 95
sittings, 100
Seats, reservation of, in House, 7 8
Second reading committees, see under Committees, general,
Second speeches, on bill reported from public bill committee, 76
Selection, Committee of,
nomination of certain select committees, 121(2)
nomination of general committees, 86(1)
European Standing Committees, 119(3)
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 109(1)
Regional Affairs, Committee, 117(2)
report committees, 92
Welsh Grand Committee, 102(1)
Select committees, see Committees, select,
Serjeant at Arms,
members of the public, and, 161
misconduct by Members, 43 44(4)
withdrawal of Members from select committees, 126
Short speeches, Appendix p 173,
see also: Time limits on speeches,
Speaker,
absence, 3
on day of election, 1
adjournment debates,
references to legislation, discretion on, 30
amendment at end of Queen’s Speech debate, calls, 33
anticipation rule, discretion on, 28
ballot for bills, arranges, 14(6)
Business Committee and sub-committees, nominates, 82 120(2)
chairmen, temporary, nominates, 4(1)
Counsel to, assists select committees, 143(3) 151(4)
delegated legislation committees, distributes instruments among, 118(1)
dilatory motions, 35
disorder by Members,
names Member, 44
orders Member to leave House, 43
suspends or adjourns House, 46
Speaker continued,
earlier meeting of House, summons, 13(1)
evidence to former committees, authorises publication, 135(2)
general committees, appoints chairmen for, 85
instructs doorkeepers regarding seats, 7
interrupts business for statements, &c., on Fridays, 11(4)
irrelevance or repetition, prevents, 42
Lords amendments involving charges, powers, 78(3)
orders of the day read at his direction, 46
programming committees and sub-committees, nominates, 83B 83C
publication of memoranda and witness names, authorises, 135(2)
public, members of, orders withdrawal of, 163
questions tabling dates, fixes, 22(6)
recommendations from committees to, 139(1) 144(1)(c)
Scottish bill, certifies, 97(1)
selection of amendments, 32
statutory instruments, unlaid, notified of, 160
sub judice, powers, 42A
urgent questions, allows, 21(2)
Special Procedure Orders,
bills in relation to, and public money standing orders, 53
not to be laid during adjournment, 159
Standards and Privileges, Committee on, 149
Standing Orders Committee,
and hybrid bills, 61(2)
Statements,
European Standing Committees, in, 119(7)
Fridays, on, 11(4)
in September, 22B
Northern Ireland Grand Committee, 112
Regional Affairs, Committee, in, 117(8)
Scottish Grand Committee, in, 96
Welsh Grand Committee, in, 105
written, 22A
Statutory Instruments, see Delegated Legislation,
Statutory Instruments, Joint Committee on, 151
Strangers, see Public, members of the,
Sub judice resolution, Appendix p 163,
power of Speaker or Chairman in cases of breach of, 42A
Suspension,
bill, of, to next session, 80A
general committee sittings, for division in House, 89(4)
House, of, for grave disorder, 46
Members, of, 44–5A
Table Office,
questions tabled in, 22
for Grand Committees, 94(1) 103(1) 110(1)
on non-sitting Fridays, 12(3)(a)
short debate applications for Grand Committees, 95(1) 104(1) 111(1)
Taxes,
petitions against, 157
provisional collection of, 51(2)
Tax law rewrite bills, 60
committal procedure does not apply, 63(1)
committee discharged, 60(8) 66
Joint Committee on, 152C
Temporary chairmen, 4
may not,
accept closure, 36(3)
accept motion to propose question, 29(2)
select amendments, 32(2)
Temporary laws, duration to be specified, 81
Time limits on speeches , 47
Topical debates , 24A
Trade and Industry Committee, 152
Transport Committee, 152
Treasury Committee, 152
Votes on account, 55(2)
Ways and means resolutions, bills brought in on,
exempted business, 15(1)(a)
ministers may attend general committees, 87(2)
Welsh Affairs Committee, 152
joint meetings with committees of National Assembly for Wales, 137A(3)
Welsh Grand Committee, 102
adjournment debates, 108(5)
bills, 106
matters, 107
ministerial statements, 105
questions, 103
short debates, 104
sittings, 108
Westminster Hall, sittings in, 10
Work and Pensions Committee, 152
Writs, motions for, lapse if opposed on private Members’ Fridays, 19