Royal Parks (Trading) Bill and Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Bill (Allocation of Time) — Supplemental orders — 22 May 2000

I beg to move,

That the following provisions shall apply to the remaining proceedings on the Royal Parks (Trading) Bill and the Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Bill--

1.--(1) Remaining proceedings on Consideration and Third Reading of the Royal Parks (Trading) Bill shall be completed at today's sitting and brought to a conclusion (if not previously concluded) four hours after the commencement of proceedings on this Motion.

(2) Proceedings on Consideration and Third Reading of the Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Bill shall be completed at today's sitting and brought to a conclusion (if not previously concluded) five hours after the commencement of proceedings on this Motion.

2.--(1) This paragraph applies for the purpose of bringing proceedings on either Bill to a conclusion in accordance with paragraph 1.

(2) The Speaker shall forthwith put the following Questions (but no others)--

(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 moved or Motion made by a Minister of the Crown;

(d) any other Question necessary for the disposal of the business to be concluded.

(3) On a Motion made for a new Clause or Schedule, the Speaker shall put only the Question that the Clause or Schedule be added to the Bill.

(4) If two or more Questions would otherwise fall to be put under sub-paragraph (2)(c) on amendments moved or Motions made by a Minister of the Crown, the Speaker shall instead put a single Question in relation to those amendments or Motions.

3. Standing Order No. 15(1) (Exempted business) shall apply at today's sitting to proceedings to which this Order applies.

4. Proceedings to which this Order applies shall not be interrupted under any Standing Order relating to the sittings of the House.

5. No Motion shall be made to alter the order in which proceedings on either Bill are taken or to recommit either Bill.

6. No dilatory Motion shall be made in relation to either Bill except by a Minister of the Crown; and the Question on any such Motion shall be put forthwith.

7. If at today's sitting--

(a) a Motion for the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 24 (Adjournment on specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration) has been stood over to Seven o'clock; but

(b) proceedings to which this Order applies have begun before then,

proceedings on that Motion shall stand postponed until the conclusion of those proceedings.

8. Standing Order No. 82 (Business Committee) shall not apply to either Bill.

9. The proceedings on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order shall (if not previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion one hour after they have been commenced; and Standing Order No. 15(1) shall apply to those proceedings.

10. If at today's sitting the House is adjourned, or the sitting is suspended, before the time at which any proceedings are to be brought to a conclusion under this Order, no notice shall be required of a Motion made at the next sitting by a Minister of the Crown for varying or supplementing the provisions of this Order.

may be regarded as the extreme limit to which procedure goes in affirming the rights of the majority at the expense of the minorities of the House, and it cannot be denied that they are capable of being used in such a way as to upset the balance, generally so carefully preserved, between the claims of business and the rights of debate.

It being Ten o'clock, the debate stood adjourned.

Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business),

That, at this day's sitting, the Motions on Nuclear Safeguards Bill [Lords] and Sea Fishing Grants (Charges) Bill (Allocation of Time) and Royal Parks (Trading) Bill and Television Licences (Disclosure of Information) Bill (Allocation of Time) may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour.-- [Mr. Clelland.]

Question agreed to.

Question again proposed.

a further abridgement of parliamentary liberty.

All Governments are tomorrow's possible Opposition.--[ Official Report , 27 February 1986; Vol. 92, c. 1088.]

The House is taking a great deal of time discussing legislation that is not contentious and that would not normally require much time in the House.

No amendments were tabled in Committee to the Nuclear Safeguards Bill, which is an important and worthwhile measure to discourage the proliferation of nuclear weapons . . . the Royal Parks (Trading) Bill was uncontentious and supported by Opposition Members, and the Standing Committee sat only once.

seven new clauses, 31 amendments and two new schedules were tabled to take up debating time on the Floor of the House.--[ Official Report , 18 May 2000; Vol. 350, c. 459.]

It is proper that we should debate the proposals in the spirit of satisfying Parliament that the legislation proposed by the Government is necessary, well framed, proportionate--that has been mentioned several times--and therefore fit to proceed speedily on to the statute book.

The Minister acknowledged the role that the House of Commons and those of us present were playing in the Bill's consideration. He went on to say:

it is appropriate to proceed as we are this afternoon, and I shall address myself to the amendments.--[ Official Report , 17 May 2000; Vol. 350, c. 372.]

the BBC includes any person providing the BBC with services in connection with television licences.

It being three hours after the commencement of proceedings on the motion Mr. Deputy Speaker put the Question, pursuant to Standing Order No. 83 (Allocation of time to bills).

The House divided: Ayes 256, Noes 109.

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