Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 7 December 1973.
Mr Peter Rost
, Derbyshire South East
12:00,
7 December 1973
On a point of order. Is it possible to have a ruling from you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, whether it is in order for the Opposition to talk out their own motion and to prevent it going to a vote?
The Deputy speaker is in charge of proceedings of the House of Commons in the absence of the Speaker.
The deputy speaker's formal title is Chairman of Ways and Means, one of whose functions is to preside over the House of Commons when it is in a Committee of the Whole House.
The deputy speaker also presides over the Budget.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
