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(g) As soon as practicable following the close of nominations, lists of the candidates and their accompanying signatories shall be published.
(8) Election of chairs of select committees under this order shall be by secret ballot.
(9) Preparatory arrangements for the ballots shall be made under the supervision of the Clerk of the House.
(10) (a) If there is only one candidate for the chair of a select committee, that candidate shall be declared elected without a ballot.
(b) The ballot shall take place in a place appointed by the Speaker.
(c) Each Member intending to vote shall be provided with a ballot paper for each select committee bearing the names of the candidates listed in alphabetical order.
(d) Members will vote by ranking as many candidates as they wish in order of preference, marking 1 by the name of their first preference, 2 by the name of their second preference, and so on. Any candidate who receives more than half the first preferences shall be elected. If no candidate is so elected, the candidate or candidates with the lowest number of first preferences shall be eliminated and his votes distributed among the remaining candidates according to the preferences on them. If no candidate has more than half the votes, the process of elimination and distribution is repeated, until one candidate has more than half the votes.
(e) The ballot shall be open between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm and counting shall take place under arrangements made by the Clerk of the House.
(11) The Speaker shall have power to give directions on any matter of doubt arising from the conduct of a ballot or from an individual ballot paper and to vary the timings given in paragraphs 5 to 10 of this order.
(12) As soon as practicable after the closing of the ballot the results shall be published under the direction of the Speaker.
(13) A chair elected under this order is a member of the committee of which he is elected chair. -(Ms Harman.)
Amendment proposed to motion 4: (p), after paragraph (1)(d), insert-
'( ) the Select Committee on Procedure.'. -(Mr. Chope.)
Question put, That the amendment be made.
Mr. Speaker: As I have announced to the House, the Division is off. I think that there was some confusion, although there should not really have been any. It was very clear in my mind, and I hope in some other people's minds, that it was the first amendment in the list that was being moved. Nevertheless, there was a level of confusion, but it does not matter, as it has been overcome and the Noes withdrew.
I would like to ask the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) to move amendment (o) formally.
Amendment proposed to motion 4 : (o), after paragraph (4) insert-
'( ) If, on the expiry of two weeks after the Queen's Speech, no motion in the name of the leaders of all the parties entitled to one or more chairs of select committees subject to election under this Order specifying to which party each said chair is allocated has been tabled, on the following sitting day the Speaker shall give precedence to a motion tabled thereafter by any hon. Member to allocate chairs under this Order and the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 shall apply to proceedings on such a motion.'.- (Mr. Chope.)
Question put, That the amendment be made.
The House divided: Ayes 279, Noes 31.
AYES
Abbott, Ms Diane
Alexander, Danny
Amess, Mr. David
Arbuthnot, rh Mr. James
Atkins, Charlotte
Bacon, Mr. Richard
Bailey, Mr. Adrian
Bain, Mr. William
Baird, Vera
Baker, Norman
Baldry, Tony
Barlow, Ms Celia
Baron, Mr. John
Barrett, John
Battle, rh John
Bayley, Hugh
Begg, Miss Anne
Beith, rh Sir Alan
Benton, Mr. Joe
Benyon, Mr. Richard
Berry, Roger
Betts, Mr. Clive
Blackman-Woods, Dr. Roberta
Blunt, Mr. Crispin
Boswell, Mr. Tim
Bottomley, Peter
Bradshaw, rh Mr. Ben
Brady, Mr. Graham
Brake, Tom
Breed, Mr. Colin
Brennan, Kevin
Brokenshire, James
Brooke, Annette
Browne, Mr. Jeremy
Browning, Angela
Bruce, rh Malcolm
Bryant, Chris
Burden, Richard
Burrowes, Mr. David
Burstow, Mr. Paul
Burt, Alistair
Burt, Lorely
Butler, Ms Dawn
Cable, Dr. Vincent
Caborn, rh Mr. Richard
Campbell, rh Sir Menzies
Carmichael, Mr. Alistair
Carswell, Mr. Douglas
Cash, Mr. William
Caton, Mr. Martin
Cawsey, Mr. Ian
Chapman, Ben
Chope, Mr. Christopher
Clappison, Mr. James
Clark, Greg
Clark, Ms Katy
Clarke, rh Mr. Charles
Clarke, rh Mr. Kenneth
Clegg, rh Mr. Nick
Clelland, Mr. David
Clifton-Brown, Mr. Geoffrey
Clwyd, rh Ann
Coffey, Ann
Cohen, Harry
Connarty, Michael
Cook, Frank
Cooper, Rosie
Corbyn, Jeremy
Cousins, Jim
Cruddas, Jon
Cryer, Mrs. Ann
Cunningham, Mr. Jim
Curry, rh Mr. David
Davey, Mr. Edward
Davies, Mr. Dai
Davies, Philip
Dhanda, Mr. Parmjit
Dismore, Mr. Andrew
Drew, Mr. David
Duncan Smith, rh Mr. Iain
Dunne, Mr. Philip
Efford, Clive
Ellman, Mrs. Louise
Etherington, Bill
Evans, Mr. Nigel
Fabricant, Michael
Farrelly, Paul
Featherstone, Lynne
Field, rh Mr. Frank
Field, Mr. Mark
Fisher, Mark
Fitzpatrick, Jim
Flint, rh Caroline
Foster, Mr. Don
Francis, Dr. Hywel
Gale, Mr. Roger
Gapes, Mike
Gardiner, Barry
Garnier, Mr. Edward
Gauke, Mr. David
George, Andrew
Gidley, Sandra
Gilroy, Linda
Goodman, Mr. Paul
Goodwill, Mr. Robert
Gove, Michael
Green, Damian
Greenway, Mr. John
Grieve, Mr. Dominic
Grogan, Mr. John
Gummer, rh Mr. John
Hall, Patrick
Hamilton, Mr. David
Hammond, Mr. Philip
Hammond, Stephen
Hancock, Mr. Mike
Harper, Mr. Mark
Harris, Dr. Evan
Harvey, Nick
Heath, Mr. David
Heathcoat-Amory, rh Mr. David
Hemming, John
Hoey, Kate
Hogg, rh Mr. Douglas
Hollobone, Mr. Philip
Holmes, Paul
Hopkins, Kelvin
Horam, Mr. John
Horwood, Martin
Hosie, Stewart
Howarth, David
Howarth, rh Mr. George
Howell, John
Hughes, Simon
Hunter, Mark
Iddon, Dr. Brian
Illsley, Mr. Eric
Irranca-Davies, Huw
Jack, rh Mr. Michael
Jenkin, Mr. Bernard
Jenkins, Mr. Brian
Jones, Lynne
Jones, Mr. Martyn
Keen, Alan
Keetch, Mr. Paul
Kennedy, rh Mr. Charles
Key, Robert
Khan, rh Mr. Sadiq
Kirkbride, Miss Julie
Knight, rh Mr. Greg
Kramer, Susan
Ladyman, Dr. Stephen
Laing, Mrs. Eleanor
Lamb, Norman
Laxton, Mr. Bob
Lazarowicz, Mark
Leech, Mr. John
Leigh, Mr. Edward
Lepper, David
Letwin, rh Mr. Oliver
Levitt, Tom
Lewis, Dr. Julian
Lidington, Mr. David
Linton, Martin
Lloyd, Tony
Llwyd, Mr. Elfyn
Loughton, Tim
Love, Mr. Andrew
Luff, Peter
Mackinlay, Andrew
MacNeil, Mr. Angus
MacShane, rh Mr. Denis
Mactaggart, Fiona
Marsden, Mr. Gordon
Marshall-Andrews, Mr. Robert
Mason, John
Maude, rh Mr. Francis
May, rh Mrs. Theresa
McDonnell, John
McFall, rh John
McIsaac, Shona
McKechin, Ann
McLoughlin, rh Mr. Patrick
Meacher, rh Mr. Michael
Michael, rh Alun
Miller, Mrs. Maria
Mitchell, Mr. Andrew
Mitchell, Mr. Austin
Moffatt, Laura
Moore, Mr. Michael
Moss, Mr. Malcolm
Mulholland, Greg
Mullin, Mr. Chris
Munn, Meg
Murrison, Dr. Andrew
Naysmith, Dr. Doug
Newmark, Mr. Brooks
Oaten, Mr. Mark
Öpik, Lembit
Ottaway, Richard
Owen, Albert
Palmer, Dr. Nick
Pearson, Ian
Pelling, Mr. Andrew
Penrose, John
Plaskitt, Mr. James
Prentice, Mr. Gordon
Price, Adam
Primarolo, rh Dawn
Pritchard, Mark
Pugh, Dr. John
Purnell, rh James
Randall, Mr. John
Raynsford, rh Mr. Nick
Reed, Mr. Andy
Reed, Mr. Jamie
Reid, Mr. Alan
Rennie, Willie
Rifkind, rh Sir Malcolm
Robertson, Angus
Rogerson, Dan
Rosindell, Andrew
Rowen, Paul
Russell, Bob
Salter, Martin
Sanders, Mr. Adrian
Scott, Mr. Lee
Sharma, Mr. Virendra
Sheerman, Mr. Barry
Short, rh Clare
Smith, rh Mr. Andrew
Smith, Sir Robert
Snelgrove, Anne
Soames, Mr. Nicholas
Soulsby, Sir Peter
Steen, Mr. Anthony
Stoate, Dr. Howard
Straw, rh Mr. Jack
Stuart, Ms Gisela
Stunell, Andrew
Swayne, Mr. Desmond
Swinson, Jo
Taylor, Matthew
Taylor, Dr. Richard
Teather, Sarah
Thurso, John
Todd, Mr. Mark
Tredinnick, David
Trickett, Jon
Truswell, Mr. Paul
Turner, Mr. Andrew
Turner, Dr. Desmond
Twigg, Derek
Tyrie, Mr. Andrew
Vara, Mr. Shailesh
Villiers, Mrs. Theresa
Walker, Mr. Charles
Walley, Joan
Walter, Mr. Robert
Webb, Steve
Weir, Mr. Mike
Whitehead, Dr. Alan
Whittingdale, Mr. John
Wicks, rh Malcolm
Wiggin, Bill
Willetts, Mr. David
Williams, rh Mr. Alan
Williams, Hywel
Williams, Mark
Willis, Mr. Phil
Willott, Jenny
Wills, rh Mr. Michael
Winterton, Ann
Winterton, Sir Nicholas
Wishart, Pete
Wright, Dr. Tony
Wyatt, Derek
Young, rh Sir George
Younger-Ross, Richard
Tellers for the Ayes:
Mr. Peter Bone and
Mr. Brian Binley
NOES
Atkinson, Mr. Peter
Balls, rh Ed
Barron, rh Mr. Kevin
Beckett, rh Margaret
Blunkett, rh Mr. David
Coaker, Mr. Vernon
Dobson, rh Frank
Duddridge, James
Eagle, Angela
Eagle, Maria
Gerrard, Mr. Neil
Goodman, Helen
Greening, Justine
Hanson, rh Mr. David
Harman, rh Ms Harriet
Hillier, Meg
Howarth, Mr. Gerald
Jackson, Glenda
Keeley, Barbara
Kidney, Mr. David
McAvoy, rh Mr. Thomas
McCarthy, Kerry
McCarthy-Fry, Sarah
McIntosh, Miss Anne
Meale, Mr. Alan
Shaw, Jonathan
Skinner, Mr. Dennis
Strang, rh Dr. Gavin
Taylor, Ms Dari
Timms, rh Mr. Stephen
Wilson, Mr. Rob
Tellers for the Noes:
Helen Jones and
Lyn Brown
Question accordingly agreed to.
Amendment made to motion 4 : (q), after paragraph (7)(e) insert-
'( ) No member may be a candidate for the chair of the Committee of Public Accounts unless his party is that of the official Opposition.'.- (Mr. Leigh.)
Main Q uestion, as amended, put and agreed to.
That the following Standing Order be made, with effect from the beginning of the next Parliament-
(1) The chairs of the following select committees shall be elected by the House in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (14) below:
(a) select committees appointed under Standing Order No. 152 (select committees related to government departments);
(b) the Environmental Audit Committee;
(c) the Select Committee on Public Administration; and
(d) the Committee of Public Accounts.
( ) the Select Committee on Procedure.
(2) The day following his election at the start of a new Parliament, the Speaker shall communicate
to the leaders of each party represented in the House the proportion of chairs of select committees to be elected under this Order falling to each such party which would reflect the composition of the House.
(3) If, within a week of the Queen's speech, a motion in the name of the leaders of all the parties entitled to one or more chairs of select committees subject to election under this Order specifying to which party each such chair is allocated is moved, the questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the motion shall be put not later than one hour after their commencement, proceedings on the motion shall be exempted business and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.
(4) If a motion to which paragraph (3) above applies also makes changes to Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) which are consequential on changes to the machinery of government, then the questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the motion shall be put not later than one and a half hours after their commencement; proceedings on the motion shall be exempted business; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.
( ) If, on the expiry of two weeks after the Queen's Speech, no motion in the name of the leaders of all the parties entitled to one or more chairs of select committees subject to election under this Order specifying to which party each said chair is allocated has been tabled, on the following sitting day the Speaker shall give precedence to a motion tabled thereafter by any hon. Member to allocate chairs under this Order and the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 shall apply to proceedings on such a motion.
(5) If the House has agreed a motion allocating chairs to parties the election of the chairs shall take place in accordance with the remaining provisions of this order.
(6) The ballots shall take place fourteen days after the approval of the motion allocating chairs to parties.
(7) (a) Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House by 5.00 pm on the day before the ballot.
(b) Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring his willingness to stand for election, accompanied by the signatures of fifteen Members elected to the House as members of the same party as the candidate or ten per cent. of the Members elected to the House as members of that party, whichever is the lower.
(c) Statements may be accompanied by signatures of up to five Members elected to the House as members of any party other than that to which the candidate belongs, or members of no party.
(d) No Member may sign the statement of more than one candidate for chair of the same select committee.
(e) No Member may be a candidate for the chair of a select committee which has not been allocated to his party under paragraph (3) of this order or otherwise, or for which he is ineligible under Standing Order No. 122A (Term limits for chairmen of select committees).
( ) No member may be a candidate for the chair of the Committee of Public Accounts unless his party is that of the official Opposition.
(f) No Member may be a candidate for more than one chair elected under this order.
(g) As soon as practicable following the close of nominations, lists of the candidates and their accompanying signatories shall be published.
(8) Election of chairs of select committees under this order shall be by secret ballot.
(9) Preparatory arrangements for the ballots shall be made under the supervision of the Clerk of the House.
(10) (a) If there is only one candidate for the chair of a select committee, that candidate shall be declared elected without a ballot.
(b) The ballot shall take place in a place appointed by the Speaker.
(c) Each Member intending to vote shall be provided with a ballot paper for each select committee bearing the names of the candidates listed in alphabetical order.
(d) Members will vote by ranking as many candidates as they wish in order of preference, marking 1 by the name of their first preference, 2 by the name of their second preference, and so on. Any candidate who receives more than half the first preferences shall be elected. If no candidate is so elected, the candidate or candidates with the lowest number of first preferences shall be eliminated and his votes distributed among the remaining candidates according to the preferences on them. If no candidate has more than half the votes, the process of elimination and distribution is repeated, until one candidate has more than half the votes.
(e) The ballot shall be open between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm and counting shall take place under arrangements made by the Clerk of the House.
(11) The Speaker shall have power to give directions on any matter of doubt arising from the conduct of a ballot or from an individual ballot paper and to vary the timings given in paragraphs (6) to (11) of this order.
(12) As soon as practicable after the closing of the ballot the results shall be published under the direction of the Speaker.
(13) A chair elected under this order is a member of the committee of which he is elected chair.
RESIGNATION OR REMOVAL OF CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES
That the following Standing Order be made, with effect from the beginning of the next Parliament-
(1) In the case of a select committee to which the provisions of Standing Order No. ( Election of select committee chairs) applies, where
(a) the chair has ceased to be a member of the House, or
(b) the chair has given written notice to the Speaker of a wish to resign from the chair, or
(c) the committee has reported a resolution that it has no confidence in the chair in accordance with the terms of paragraphs (3) and (4) of this order the Speaker shall declare the chair vacant and, as soon as practicable, announce the date of the election for the position of chair of that committee which shall be not fewer than ten sitting days after that announcement.
(2) The election shall be held according to the provisions of paragraphs (2) to (13) of Standing Order No. ( Election of select committee chairs), save that nominations shall be submitted by 12 noon on the day before the ballot.
(3) No motion expressing no confidence in its chair may be made in a committee unless notice of the motion has been circulated to the chair and all members of the committee at least ten sitting days in advance of the meeting at which the motion is made.
(4) A resolution by a committee expressing no confidence in its chair shall not have effect for the purposes of paragraph (1) above unless either
(a) it is agreed by the committee without a division or
(b) the majority of the membership of the committee, including at least two members from the largest party represented on the committee and at least one member from another party, vote in favour of the resolution.
(5) A motion expressing no confidence in the chair may not be made in a committee in the six months following the election of a chair by the House or in the year following a vote on such a motion on that chair. -(Ms Harman.)
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