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†
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2
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BACKBENCH BUSINESS COMMITTEE
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That the following new Standing Order be made:—
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(1)
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There shall be a select committee, called the Backbench Business Committee, to determine the backbench business to be taken
in the House and in Westminster Hall on days, or parts of days, allotted for backbench business.
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(2)
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The committee shall consist of a chair and seven other Members, of whom four shall be a quorum.
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(3)
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The chair and other members of the committee shall continue as members of the committee for the remainder of the Session in
which they are elected unless replaced under the provisions of Standing Order No. (Election of Backbench Business Committee).
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(4)
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The chair and members of the committee shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order No. (Election of Backbench Business Committee).
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(5)
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No Member who is a Minister of the Crown or parliamentary private secretary or a principal opposition front-bench spokesperson
shall be eligible to be the chair or a member of the committee: the Speaker’s decision shall be final on such matters.
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(6)
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The committee shall have power to invite Government officials to attend all or part of any of its meetings.
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(7)
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The committee shall determine the backbench business to be taken—
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(a)
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in the House on any day, or any part of any day, allotted under paragraph (3A) of Standing Order No. 14, and
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(b)
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in Westminster Hall, in accordance with paragraph (3A) of Standing Order No. 10,
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and shall report its determinations to the House.
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(8)
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At the commencement of any business in the House or in Westminster Hall which has been determined by the committee, a member
of the committee shall make a brief statement of no more than five minutes explaining the committee’s reasons for its determination.
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As Amendments to Sir George Young’s proposed Motion (Backbench Business Committee):
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(e)
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Line 5, leave out from ‘and’ to end of line and insert ‘fifteen other Members, of whom eight’.
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(f)
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Line 6, at end insert ‘; and the committee shall meet in public’.
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(b)
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Line 8, leave out ‘Session’ and insert ‘Parliament’.
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(g)
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Line 14, after ‘spokesperson’, insert ‘or select committee chair’.
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(a)
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Line 24, leave out from ‘shall’ to end and add ‘lay before the House a report of its determinations and proceedings.’.
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(d)
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‘(7A)
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The Committee may propose a programme for the remaining stages of private Members’ bills in accordance with Standing Order
No. 83A (Programme Motions)’.
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(c)
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Leave out lines 25 to 28.
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†
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3
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ELECTION OF BACKBENCH BUSINESS COMMITTEE
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That the following new Standing Order be made:—
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(1)(a)
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The election of the chair of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place at the start of each Session on a day to be
determined by the Speaker.
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(b)
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Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House between 10 am and 5 pm on the
day before the day appointed for election.
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(c)
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Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand for election,
accompanied by the signatures of not fewer than twenty nor more than twenty-five Members, of whom no fewer than ten shall
be members of the candidate’s party and no fewer than ten shall be members of any other party or no party.
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(d)
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No Member may sign the statement of more than one candidate.
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(e)
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As soon as practicable following the close of nominations, a list of the candidates and their accompanying signatories shall
be published.
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(f)
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Arrangements for the election shall follow those set out in paragraphs (9) to (14) of Standing Order No. 122B (Election of
committee chairs), save that in sub-paragraph (11)(e) the opening hours of the ballot shall be between eleven o’clock and
one o’clock and in paragraph (12) reference to variation of timings shall be read as applying also to the timings in sub-paragraph
(b) and (f) of this paragraph.
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(2)(a)
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The election of members of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place on a day to be determined by the Speaker as soon
as practicable after the election of the chair.
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(b)
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Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House between 10 am and 5 pm on the
day before the day appointed for election.
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(c)
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Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand for election,
accompanied by the signatures of not fewer than twelve nor more than fifteen Members.
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(d)
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As soon as practicable following the close of nominations, a list of the candidates and their accompanying signatories shall
be published.
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(e)
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The provisions set out in paragraph (5) (a) to (d) and (f) of Standing Order No. 2A (Election of the Deputy Speakers) shall
apply to the election of members of the committee.
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(f)
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The ballot shall be counted under the Single Transferable Vote system, with constraints that of those elected:
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(i)
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such a number of candidates shall come from each party represented in the House or those of no party as shall be determined
and announced in advance by the Speaker, in such a way as to ensure that the committee including the Chair reflects as closely
as possible the composition of the House, and
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(ii)
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at least two women and two men shall be elected.
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(3)(a)
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Standing Order No. 122C (Resignation or removal of chairs of select committees) shall apply to the chair of the Backbench
Business Committee, save for paragraph (2) of that Order; and any election following a vacancy in the chair shall be held
under the provisions of paragraph (1) (b) to (f) above.
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(b)
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Where a member of the committee has ceased to be a member of this House or has given written notice to the Speaker of a wish
to resign from the committee, the Speaker shall make arrangements for the election by the House of a replacement using the
Alternative Vote System as set out in paragraph (11) of Standing Order No. 122B (Election of committee chairs), and may give
such directions on the party affiliation required for a valid candidature as are necessary to preserve the balance of parties
on the committee as referred to in paragraph (2)(f)(i) above.
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As an Amendment to Sir George Young’s proposed Motion (Election of Backbench Business Committee):
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(a)
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Line 3, leave out ‘Session’ and insert ‘Parliament’.
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†
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4
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BACKBENCH BUSINESS (AMENDMENT OF STANDING ORDERS)
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That Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) be amended by inserting at the end of line 40—
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‘(3A)
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Thirty-five days or its equivalent shall be allotted in each session for proceedings in the House and in Westminster Hall
on backbench business; the business determined by the Backbench Business Committee shall have precedence over government business
(other than any order of the day or notice of motion on which the question is to be put forthwith) on those days; and the
provisions of paragraph (2)(c) of this Standing Order shall apply to any of those days taken in the House in the form of half-days.
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(3B)
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For the purposes of paragraph (3A) above, a Thursday sitting in Westminster Hall at which the business is appointed by the
Backbench Business Committee shall count as one half-day and a topical debate shall count as one quarter-day.
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(3C)
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Backbench business comprises all proceedings in the Chamber relating to any motion or order of the day except:
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(a)
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government business, that is proceedings relating to government bills, financial business, proceedings under any Act of Parliament,
or relating to European Union Documents, or any other motion in the name of a Minister of the Crown;
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(b)
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opposition business under paragraph (2) above;
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(c)
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motions for the adjournment of the House under paragraph (7) of Standing Order No. 9 (Sittings of the House), private Members’
motions for leave to bring in bills under Standing Order No. 23 (Motions for leave to bring in bills and nomination of select
committees at commencement of public business) and private Members’ bills under paragraphs (4) to (9) below;
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(d)
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proceedings relating to private business;
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(e)
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any motion to amend this order or Standing Order No. (Backbench
Business
Committee);
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(f)
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business set down at the direction of, or given precedence by, the Speaker.
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(3D)
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The proceedings to be taken as backbench business shall be determined by the Backbench Business Committee, as set out in Standing
Order No. (Backbench Business Committee).’
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As Amendments to Sir George Young’s proposed Motion (Backbench Business (Amendment of Standing Orders)):
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(a)
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Line 4, after ‘business’, insert ‘of which at least twenty-seven shall be allotted for proceedings in the House’’.
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(b)
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‘(2)
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That Standing Order No. 83A (Programme Motions) be amended as follows:— |
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In paragraph (1), in line 5 after “Crown” insert “or, in the case of a private Member’s bill, by the Chair or another member
of the Backbench Business Committee, on behalf of the Committee”.’
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†
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5
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WESTMINSTER HALL (AMENDMENT OF STANDING ORDERS)
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That Standing Order No. 10 (Westminster Hall) be amended as follows:—
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(1)
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In paragraph (3) leave out ‘Subject to paragraph (13) below’ and insert ‘On Tuesdays and Wednesdays’;
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(2)
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After paragraph (3) insert—
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‘(3A) Subject to paragraph (13), the business taken at any Thursday sitting in Westminster Hall shall be such as the Backbench
Business Committee shall determine’;
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(a)
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leave out ‘not more than six’ and insert ‘twenty’;
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(b)
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at end add ‘, but the Speaker may appoint fewer than twenty days with the agreement of the Liaison Committee’.
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†
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6
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TOPICAL DEBATES (AMENDMENTS OF STANDING ORDERS)
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That the Standing Orders be amended as follows:—
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(1)
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In Standing Order No. 24A (Topical debates),
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(a)
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in paragraph (1) leave out ‘A Minister of the Crown’ and insert ‘The Backbench Business Committee’, and
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(b)
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leave out paragraphs (3) to (8).
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(2)
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In Standing Order No. 47 (Time limits on speeches),
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(a)
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after paragraph (3) insert—
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‘(3A) The Speaker may announce, at or before the commencement of a topical debate in respect of which he has made or intends
to make an announcement under paragraph (1) of this order, that speeches by a Minister of the Crown and any Member speaking
on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition shall be limited to ten minutes and he may direct any such Member who has spoken
for that period to resume his seat forthwith.’; and
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(b)
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in line 31, after ‘(3)’ insert ‘or (3A)’.
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†
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7
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PAY FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES
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That this House expresses the opinion that the Resolution of the House of 30 October 2003, relating to Pay for Chairs of Select
Committees (No.2), should be further amended by inserting after ‘the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee’, ‘the
Backbench Business Committee’.
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†
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8
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PAY FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES (No. 2): Queen’s Recommendation to be signified.
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That the Resolution of the House of 30 October 2003, relating to Pay for Chairs of Select Committees (No. 2), be further amended
by inserting after ‘the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee’, ‘the Backbench Business Committee’.
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†
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9
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BACKBENCH BUSINESS COMMITTEE (REVIEW)
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That, in the opinion of this House, the operation of the Backbench Business Committee should be reviewed at the beginning
of the next Session of Parliament.
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As an Amendment to Sir George Young’s proposed Motion (Backbench Business Committee (Review)):
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(a)
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Line 2, leave out ‘Session of’’.
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That this House reaffirms the importance of its function of holding the Government to account: and accordingly asks the Government
to put to this House specific proposals for sitting periods in September 2010.
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†
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11
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BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE (PRIVATE MEMBERS’ BILLS)
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That Private Members’ Bills shall have precedence over Government business on 22 October, 12 and 19 November and 3 December
2010 and 21 January, 4 and 11 February, 4 and 18 March, 1 April, 13 May and 10 and 17 June 2011.
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As Amendments to Sir George Young’s proposed Motion (Business of the House (Private Members’ Bills)):
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(a)
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Line 1, leave out from ‘That’ to end and add—
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‘(1)
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Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) shall have effect for this Session with the following modification,
namely:
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In paragraph (4) the word “eighteen” shall be substituted for the word “thirteen” in line 42; and
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(2)
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Private Members’ Bills shall have precedence over Government business on 10 and 17 September, 15 and 22 October, 12 and 19
November and 3 December 2010 and 21 January, 4 and 11 February, 4 and 18 March, 1 April, 13 May,
10, 17 and 24 June and 1 July 2011.’.
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(b)
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Line 1, leave out from ‘That’ to end and add—
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‘(1)
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Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) shall have effect for this Session with the following modification,
namely:
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In paragraph (4) the word “fourteen” shall be substituted for the word “thirteen” in line 42; and
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(2)
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Private Members’ Bills shall have precedence over Government business on 16 July, 22 October, 12 and 19 November and 3 December
2010 and 21 January, 4 and 11 February, 4 and 18 March, 1 April, 13 May and 10 and 17 June 2011.’.
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†
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12
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DEFERRED DIVISIONS (TIMING)
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That Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) be amended as follows:—
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(1)
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in line 37, leave out ‘half-past twelve o’clock’ and insert ‘half-past eleven o’clock’; and
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(2)
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in line 44, by leaving out ‘one and a half hours after half-past twelve o’clock’ and inserting ‘two and a half hours after
half-past eleven o’clock’.
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†
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13
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SELECT COMMITTEES (MEMBERSHIP)
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That Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) be amended in the table in paragraph (2),
in the final column (Maximum members),
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(1)
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by leaving out ‘11’ and inserting ‘16’, in respect of the following committees:
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(2)
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by leaving out ‘13’ and inserting ‘14’ in respect of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
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As Amendments to Sir George Young’s proposed Motion (Select Committees (Membership)):
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(b)
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(c)
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Line 2, leave out from ‘amended’ to ‘by’ in line 8 and insert ‘—
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‘(a) in the table in paragraph (2), in the final column (Maximum members).’.
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(d)
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(b) by inserting the following new paragraph—
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“(2A)
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The maximum numbers set out above shall be subject to the power of the Committee of Selection, in respect of any 3 select
committees related to government departments, to nominate to the House no more than 2 additional members to serve on each
such identified committee, in such a way as to ensure that the enlarged committee reflects so far as possible the composition
of the House.”.’.
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(a)
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‘( ) That Standing Order No. 152A (Environmental Audit Committee) be amended in paragraph (2), by inserting after the word “of”
the words “not more than”.’.
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†
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14
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SELECT COMMITTEES (MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT CHANGE)
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That Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) be amended in the table in paragraph (2),
by leaving out item 2 (Children, Schools and Families) and inserting in the appropriate place:
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‘Education
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Department for Education
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11’
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†
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15
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SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE
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That, on Tuesday 22 June, the House shall meet at 11.30 am and references to specific times in the Standing Orders of this
House shall apply as if that day were a Wednesday.
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The Speaker will put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motions in the name of Sir George Young relating
to Backbench Business Committee, Election of Backbench Business Committee, Backbench Business (amendment of Standing Orders),
Westminster Hall (amendment of Standing Orders), Topical debates (amendments of Standing Orders), Pay for Chairs of select
committees, Backbench Business Committee (review), September sittings, Business of the House (Private Members’ Bills), Deferred
divisions (timing), Select Committees (membership), Select Committees (machinery of Government change) and Sittings of the
House not later than 9.30 pm; such Questions will include the Questions on any Amendments selected by the Speaker which may
then be moved; proceedings may continue after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions)
will not apply, if the Business of the House Motion is agreed to.
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An explanatory memorandum relating to Motions 2 to 8 above is available in the Vote Office.
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The First Report from the House of Commons Reform Committee, Session 2008-09, on Rebuilding the House, HC 1117, and its First
Report of Session 2009-10, Rebuilding the House: Implementation, HC 372, are relevant to Motions 2 to 14 above.
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indicates a question for oral answer.
