Business of the House — Proceedure for Consideration of the UK's Withdrawal From the EU — 27 Mar 2019 at 15:00

The majority of MPs voted in favour of a proposed procedure for the House of Commons to, on the 27th of March and 1st of April 2019, consider motions relating to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from, and future relationship with, the European Union.

The motion supported by the majority of MPs empowered the Speaker to determine the voting arrangements to be used, and permitted questions which had already been put to MPs in the current session to be put again.

The usual precedence for Government motions was set aside.

The procedure approved in this vote enabled a large number of motions, from MPs from across the House of Commons, to be efficiently considered and voted on.

The motion supported by a majority of MPs in this vote was:

• (1) That, at today’s sitting –
• (a) any proceedings governed by the resolution of the House of 25 March (Section 13 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018) or this order may be proceeded with until any hour, though opposed and shall not be interrupted;
• (b) the resolution of the House of 25 March shall apply as if, at the end of paragraph (b), there were inserted “and then to a motion in the name of a Minister of the Crown to approve the draft European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019”;
• (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 announce his decision on which motions have been selected for decision by recorded vote before calling a Member to move a motion under paragraph (f) of the resolution of 25 March;
• (e) the first signatory of a motion so selected may inform the Speaker up to 4.00 pm that they do not wish a recorded vote to take place on that motion;
• (f) having been so informed, the Speaker shall announce that information to the House and may announce a new decision on selection;
• (g) 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);
• (h) debate on the motions having precedence under paragraph (f) of the resolution of 25 March may continue until 7.00 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;
• (i) 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;
• (j) immediately upon the conclusion of the voting period the Speaker shall call a Minister of the Crown to move to approve the draft European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply to that motion;
• (k) during the period between 7.00 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 House shall not proceed to a division other than on the question referred to in sub-paragraph (j); and
• (iii) the Speaker may suspend the sitting if any other business, including proceedings provided for in sub-paragraph (j) and in paragraph (g) of the resolution of 25 March, has been concluded.
• (2) That, on Monday 1 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 a motion relating to the Business of the House in connection with matters relating to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union other than any Business of the House motion relating to the consideration by the House of a motion under section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, and then to motions relating to that withdrawal and the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the European Union other than any motion moved under section 13(1)(b) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018;
• (c) if more than one motion relating to the Business of the House is tabled, the Speaker shall decide which motion shall have precedence;
• (d) the Speaker shall interrupt proceedings on any business having precedence before the Business of the House motion at 5.00 pm and call a Member to move that motion;
• (e) debate on that motion may continue until 6.00 pm at which time the Speaker shall put the questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on that motion including the questions on amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved;
• (f) when those proceedings have been concluded, the Speaker shall call a Member to move one of the other motions having precedence;
• (g) 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.

This was an unusual Business of the House motion in that it was moved by an MP who was not a member of the Government. House of Commons Standing Order No. 14(1) (which provides that government business shall have precedence at every sitting save as provided in that order) had been suspended for the day following a previous vote two days earlier; enabling the motion which was the subject of this vote, and those which followed, to be given precedence, and considered.

^[1] House of Commons Division, Business of the House — Precedence for Government Business, 25 March 2019, PublicWhip.org.uk

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