Issue of Writ
Oral Answers to Questions — Justice
3:57 pm
Harriet Harman (Lord Privy Seal, House of Commons; Camberwell and Peckham, Labour)
I beg to move, To leave out from "That" to the end of the Question and add
"this House do pass to the Orders of the Day."
The effect of my amendment is that the House would not move the writ today for the Glasgow, North-East by-election. Custom and practice is that the party of the Member who formerly held the seat moves the writ. In the case of a departing Speaker, it is convention for the writ to be moved by the party for which the Speaker was last elected. Then the election must be held within 15 to 19 working days of the writ's being moved. We want to make sure that the by-election is at a time that allows the greatest number of people to vote.