A service from mySociety A service from mySociety

TheyWorkForYou

Menu

Consideration and Third Reading

Rail Passenger Services – in the House of Commons at 4:24 pm on 27 February 2001.

Alert me about debates like this

1. Proceedings on Consideration and Third Reading shall be completed in one day on which the Bill is put down as first Government Order of the Day.

2. On that day—

  1. (1) proceedings on Consideration shall (unless previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at Ten o'clock, and
  2. (2) proceedings on Third Reading shall (unless previously concluded) be brought to a conclusion at Twelve o'clock.

3. Sessional Order B (Programming Committees) made by the House on 7th November 2000 shall not apply to proceedings on consideration and Third Reading.

4. In the application to proceedings on Consideration of Sessional Order E made by the House on 7th November 2000, paragraph (2)(d) shall have effect as if it required the Speaker to put—

  1. (1) a single question on any amendment in the name of a Minister of the Crown which creates a defence in respect of the hunting of rabbits and on any amendments in the name of a Minister of the Crown which are consequential on that amendment;
  2. (2) the question on any amendment in the name of a Minister of the Crown which creates a defence in respect of deer-stalking and flushing;
  3. (3) the question on any amendment in the name of a Minister of the Crown which expands the defence in respect of the hunting of rodents;
  4. (4) the question on any amendment in the name of a Minister of the Crown which creates a defence in respect of the hunting of mink; and
  5. (5) a single question on any other amendments moved or motions made by a Minister of the Crown.

5. Paragraph (4) of Sessional Order E made by the House on 7th November 2000 shall not apply to proceedings on Consideration.

Minister

Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.

amendment

As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.

Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.

In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.

The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.

Speaker

The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.