Procedural Motion — Transport for London Bill — Curtail John McDonnell MP's Speech on The Disposal of TfL Assets — 16 Mar 2015 at 18:15

The majority of MPs voted to stop John McDonnell MP's speech on amendments to the Transport for London Bill intended to prevent TfL disposing of land which might be essential for future transport improvements.

This vote took place at 18:15, Mr McDonnell had moved the original motion and begun his speech at 17:11 so his speech had lasted just over an hour (including interventions).

MPs were considering the Transport for London Bill^[1]

Usually in order to bring debate to a close and move to a vote the motion: "That the Question now be put" would be moved; however in this case as the mover of the motion was still speaking the question had not yet been proposed. (Motions are proposed by the chair after the speech in which they are proposed by the member moving them has concluded^[2]). There is no question which can be put until one is proposed.

The motion which was the subject of this vote was:

• That the Question be now proposed.

The official record states that this question was put due to Bob Blackman MP who "claimed to move the closure"^[3] (House of Commons Standing Order No. 29); under standing order 37 such a motion cannot be passed unless no fewer than 100 MPs vote for it. This threshold was met in this vote.

The deputy speaker in the chair attempted to explain what had happened following the vote^[4] saying:

• The procedural motion that we just agreed to was that the motion be proposed, because the mover was on his feet. That means that the motion on new clause 1 has been proposed and the debate continues. It was not a closure motion, but what is called the Golding closure. The Minister needs to decide whether he would like to speak on new clause 1, because we are now debating new clause 1 and the other amendments on the selection list.

Background to the procedural motion which was the subject of this vote can be found in the record of a speech in the House of Commons on the 27th of February 1986 where MP Mr John Biffen (North Shropshire) described the then proposed introduction of the procedure saying^[5]:

• Similarly, we seek to implement the proposal that there should be a new motion to deal with exceptionally long speeches in Committee or on Report. The motion would be: "That the Question be now proposed".

The motion under debate at the time the motion which was the subject of this vote was moved was:

• That the clause be read a Second time.

The clause in question^[6] was:

• (1) Within 3 months of this Act receiving Royal Assent, TfL shall publish a list of non-operational assets held by itself or a subsidiary that it regards as eligible for development, banded by value.
• (2) Thereafter, TfL shall publish each year a list of non-operational assets that are under consideration for development where steps towards such development are planned to commence within the next 12 months.

Further amendments to the Transport for London Bill were also under discussion.

This procedural motion was used in January 2012 to stop MP Christopher Chope's speech on amendments to the Daylight Saving Bill which had been going on for about an hour.

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Transport for London Bill 2010-12 to 2014-15
• [2] Sylvia Heal MP, Deputy Speaker, House of Commons, 18 May 2007
• [3] Official Record, House of Commons, 16 March 2015
• [4] Deputy Speaker Dawn Primarolo MP, (Bristol South, Labour)
• [5] John Biffen MP, (North Shropshire), House of Commons, 27 February 1986
• [6] Official Record, House of Commons, 16 March 2015

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