Procedural changes resulting from the extended parliamentary session
28.In November 2017, the House agreed our first report of the Session which set out how to adapt its approach to a number of procedural matters in the light of the extended session (Procedure Committee, 1st Report, Session 2017-19, HL Paper 33). We have now considered similar adaptations to the House’s procedures arising from the session extending beyond two years. The proposals contained within this paper will apply only to the end of the session.
Limit on oral questions
29.The number of oral questions each member is allowed to table this session is set at seven from June 2018 to the end of the current session.
30.We recommend that, for the duration of the remainder of the current session, the limit on the number of oral questions per member should be reset on 1 June 2019. It should be noted that the limit of seven oral questions in the second half of the session relates to when the question is asked and not when it is tabled. Therefore, a member who has reached their limit for the second half of the session may table a further oral question before 1 June 2019, provided that the question will be asked after the reset date.
Topical oral questions
31.The limit is currently set at four topical questions per member from June 2018 until the end of the current session.
32.We recommend that, for the remainder of the current session, the limit on the number of balloted topical oral questions per member should be reset on 1 June 2019. As with oral questions, the limit will relate to when the question is asked, rather than when it is tabled.
Thursday debates
33.Since the 2012-13 session, every Thursday from the beginning of a normal session until the end of January is set aside for general debates (Companion, paragraph 6.53). Within this period, one Thursday each month until the end of December is set aside for two balloted debates, and members may initiate only one balloted debate per session (Companion, paragraph 6.62).
34.In November 2017, the House agreed with the Procedure Committee’s report that:
- general debates should run from the start of the session (June 2017) to the end of January 2018, and from the first sitting Thursday in June 2018 until the end of January 2019;
- balloted debates should run from the start of the session (June 2017) to the end of December 2017, and from the first sitting Thursday in June 2018 until the end of December 2018;
- the current limit on the number of balloted debates per member should be reset at the point of any Whitsun recess or on 1 June 2018, whichever comes first, allowing each member to initiate two balloted debates during the current session, with the limit applying to when the debate takes place, and not when it is tabled (as with oral and topical questions above).
35.We therefore recommend that for the remainder of the current session:
- general debates should run from the first sitting Thursday in June 2019 until the end of the current session;
- balloted debates should run from the first sitting Thursday in June 2019 until the end of the current session, with the date for each balloted debate to be determined through the usual channels as is currently the case;
- the current limit on the number of balloted debates per member should be reset on 1 June 2019, with the limit applying to when the debate takes place, and not when it is tabled (as with oral and topical questions above).
Topical questions for short debate
36.In a normal session on every Thursday from the beginning of the session until the end of January there is a topical question for short debate, and members may initiate only one topical question for short debate per session (Companion, paragraphs 6.48-6.49).
37.We recommend that in the current session:
- there should be a topical question for short debate on every Thursday from the first sitting Thursday in June 2019 until the end of the session;
- the current limit on the number of topical questions for short debate per member should be reset on 1 June 2019.