Timetable Motion — Business of the House (Thursday) — University Tuiton Fee Caps — 8 Dec 2010 at 22:32

The majority of MPs voted to restrict the amount of House of Commons time to be spent debating the university tuition fee cap the following day.

The effect of the motion passed was to close the debate at 17.30 or after 5 hours, which ever came first.

During debate it was made clear this would have the effect of preventing many MPs who wanted to contribute from doing so.

The text of the approved motion was:

• That, at the sitting on Thursday 9 December, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion in the name of Secretary Vince Cable relating to Higher Education Higher Amount and, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 16 (Proceedings under an Act or on European Union documents), on the Motion in the name of Secretary Vince Cable on the draft Higher Education (Basic Amount) (England) Regulations not later than five hours after the commencement of proceedings on the first motion, or at 5.30 pm, whichever is the earlier; such Questions shall 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) shall not apply.

Cambridge MP Julian Huppert explained his vote for the motion on Twitter^[1] saying:

• if the motion hadn't passed, there would have been 2 90 minute debates, one on the lower level and one on higher.

This is perhaps based on an understanding that the default position would have been for the two main items of business to be debated that day^[2] to share the afternoon's commons time between them. The default position was not made clear during the debate leading up to the vote. However Labour MP Kevin Brennan drew attention to the fact that 17.30 was an earlier close than usual for the House of Commons on a Thursday^[3].

MPs Kevan Jones and Luciana Berger claimed during debate that the Government motion passed allowed MPs just 50 seconds each during the debate.^[4][5]

• [1] Julian Huppert MP, Twitter, 9th December 2010
• [2] Order of Business Thursday 9 December 2010 -Notably this was only published online on Thursday the 9th of December, so not available at the time of the vote.
• [3] Kevin Brennan MP, House of Commons, Wednesday 8th December 2010
• [4] Luciana Berger MP House of Commons, Wednesday 8th December 2010
• [5] Kevan Jones MP House of Commons, Wednesday 8th December 2010

Debate in Parliament | Source |