Business of the House — Consideration of Motions on EU Withdrawal on 8 April 2019 — 3 Apr 2019 at 17:00

The majority of MPs voted against the House of Commons, on 8 April 2019, prioritising considering motions on the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.

The rejected proposal included a suspension of the standing order providing for government business to generally have precedence at every sitting of the House of Commons.

MPs were considering the following motion:

• That—
• (1) At today’s sitting-
• (a) the order of the House of 1 April (Business of the House) shall apply as if, at the end of paragraph (2)(a), there were inserted “and then to proceedings on the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 5) Bill”;
• (b) any proceedings governed by that order as amended or this order may be proceeded with until any hour, though opposed, and shall not be interrupted;
• (c) immediately upon the conclusion of proceedings under the order of 1 April, the Speaker shall call a Member to move the motion that the European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill be now read a second time;
• (d) the Speaker may not propose the question on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private);
• (e) any proceedings interrupted or superseded by this order may be resumed or (as the case may be) entered upon and proceeded with after the moment of interruption.
• (2) In respect of the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 5) Bill, notices of Amendments, new Clauses and new Schedules to be moved in Committee may be accepted by the Clerks at the Table before the Bill has been read a second time.
• (3) The provisions of this order shall apply to and in connection with the proceedings on the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 5) Bill.
• Timetable for the Bill today
• (4) (a) Proceedings on Second Reading and in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings up to and including Third Reading shall be taken at the sitting today in accordance with this Order.
• (b) Proceedings on Second Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 7.00 pm.
• (c) Proceedings in Committee of the whole House, any proceedings on Consideration and proceedings up to and including Third Reading shall be brought to a conclusion (so far as not previously concluded) at 10.00 pm.
• Timing of proceedings and Questions to be put today
• (5) When the Bill has been read a second time:
• (a) it shall, notwithstanding bills not subject to a programme order Standing Order No. 63 (Committal of bills not subject to a programme order), stand committed to a Committee of the whole House without any Question being put;
• (b) the Speaker shall leave the Chair whether or not notice of an Instruction has been given.
• (6) (a) On the conclusion of proceedings in Committee of the whole House, the Chairman shall report the Bill to the House without putting any Question.
• (b) If the Bill is reported with amendments, the House shall proceed to consider the Bill as amended without any Question being put.
• (7) For the purpose of bringing any proceedings to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph (4), the Chairman or Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions in the same order as they would fall to be put if this Order did not apply–
• (a) any Question already proposed from the Chair;
• (b) any Question necessary to bring to a decision a Question so proposed;
• (c) the Question on any amendment, new clause or new schedule selected by the Chair or Speaker for separate decision;
• (d) the Question on any amendment moved or Motion made by a designated Member;
• (e) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded; and shall not put any other Questions, other than the Question on any motion described in paragraph (16) of this Order.
• (8) On a Motion made for a new Clause or a new Schedule, the Chairman or Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.
• Consideration of Lords Amendments and Messages on a subsequent day
• (9) If any message on the Bill (other than a message that the House of Lords agrees with the Bill without amendment or agrees with any message from this House) is expected from the House of Lords on any future sitting day, the House shall not adjourn until that message has been received and any proceedings under paragraph (10) have been concluded.
• (10) On any day on which such a message is received, if a designated Member indicates to the Speaker an intention to proceed to consider that message—
• (a) notwithstanding Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that order), any Lords Amendments to the Bill or any further Message from the Lords on the Bill may be considered forthwith without any Question being put; and any proceedings interrupted for that purpose shall be suspended accordingly;
• (b) proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments or on any further Message from the Lords shall (so far as not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after their commencement; and any proceedings suspended under subparagraph (a) shall thereupon be resumed;
• (c) the Speaker may not propose the question on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private).
• (11) Paragraphs (2) to (7) of Standing Order No. 83F (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on consideration of Lords amendments) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments to a conclusion as if:
• (a) any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member;
• (b) after paragraph (4)(a) there is inserted –
• “(aa) the question on any amendment or motion selected by the Speaker for separate decision;”.
• (12) Paragraphs (2) to (5) of Standing Order No. 83G (Programme orders: conclusion of proceedings on further messages from the Lords) apply for the purposes of bringing any proceedings on consideration of a Lords Message to a conclusion as if:
• (a) any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member;
• (b) in paragraph (5), the words “subject to paragraphs (6) and (7)” were omitted.
• Reasons Committee
• (13) Paragraphs (2) to (6) of Standing Order No. 83H (Programme orders: reasons committee) apply in relation to any committee to be appointed to draw up reasons after proceedings have been brought to a conclusion in accordance with this Order as if any reference to a Minister of the Crown were a reference to a designated Member.
• Miscellaneous
• (14) Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply in relation to any proceedings on the Bill to which this Order applies.
• (15) No Motion shall be made, except by a designated Member, to alter the order in which any proceedings on the Bill are taken, to recommit the Bill or to vary or supplement the provisions of this Order.
• (16) (a) No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to proceedings on the Bill to which this Order applies except by a designated Member.
• (b) The Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.
• (17) Proceedings to which this Order applies shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.
• (18) No private business may be considered at any sitting to which the provisions of this order apply.
• (19) In this Order, “a designated Member” means –
• (a) the Member in charge of the Bill; and
• (b) any other Member backing the Bill and acting on behalf of that Member.

An amendment rejected in this vote, following a casting vote being cast by the Speaker, stated:

• Amendment proposed: (a), at end, to add—
• “(20) At the sitting on Monday 8 April –
• (a) Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that order) shall not apply;
• (b) precedence shall be given to motions relating to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from and future relationship with the European Union other than any motion under section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018;
• (c) notwithstanding the practice of the House, any motion on matters that have been the subject of a prior decision of the House in the current Session may be the subject of a decision;
• (d) the Speaker shall interrupt proceedings on any business before those motions at 5.00 pm and shall announce his decision on which motions have been selected for decision by recorded vote before calling a Member to move a motion having precedence;
• (e) the Speaker may not propose the question on any amendment to any motion subject to decision by recorded vote or on the previous question, and may not put any question under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) or Standing Order No. 163 (Motion to sit in private);
• (f) debate on the motions having precedence may continue until 8.00 pm at which time the House shall proceed as if the question had been put on each motion selected by the Speaker for decision by recorded vote and the opinion of the Speaker as to the decision on each such question had been challenged;
• (g) in respect of those questions –
• (i) Members may record their votes on each question under arrangements made by the Speaker;
• (ii) votes may be recorded for half an hour after the Speaker declares the period open and the Speaker shall suspend the House for that period;
• (iii) the Speaker shall announce the results in the course of the sitting;
• (h) during the period between 8.00 pm and the announcement of the results on the questions subject to recorded vote–
• (i) no motion for the adjournment may be made;
• (ii) the Speaker may suspend the sitting if any other business, including proceedings provided for in sub-paragraph (i) of this paragraph, has been concluded.
• (i) any proceedings interrupted or superseded by this order may be resumed or (as the case may be) entered upon and proceeded with after the moment of interruption.

Debate in Parliament |