Delegated Legislation – in the House of Commons at 9:26 pm on 10 July 2007.
That the draft Gambling Act 2005 (Operating Licence Conditions) Regulations 2007, which were laid before this House on 11th June, be approved.
That the draft Gambling (Lottery Machine Interval) Order 2007, which was laid before this House on 11th June, be approved.
That the draft Categories of Gaming Machine Regulations 2007, which were laid before this House on 11th June, be approved.— [Mark Tami.]
Question agreed to.
Mark Tami
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
Not moved.
Philip Davies
Conservative, Shipley
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I wonder whether you can shed any light on why the modernisation of the House motion has twice been withdrawn at the last moment. Is it because of the understandable—
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Order. Before the hon. Gentleman gets into the reasons, let me answer him, so that Sir Nicholas Winterton will not have to raise another point of order. Let me explain that the Government are in charge of their own business and if they wish not to move an item on the Order Paper, under the rules of the House, it is not for the Speaker to challenge it.
Nicholas Winterton
Conservative, Macclesfield
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. As you know, I would not challenge your ruling under any circumstances. May I say, however, as a founder member of the Modernisation Committee in 1997—and having sat on that Committee ever since that time—that I wanted to intervene on the basis that there was a unique opportunity to indicate my support for the change. I have had the privilege of speaking to the Leader of the House on three separate occasions and I would have been delighted to propose her to take the Chair at the Committee's next meeting. I merely wanted to advance the reason why I would be happy to do that on behalf of the Modernisation Committee.
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
As the hon. Gentleman knows, the utterances and indeed the deliberations of the Modernisation Committee are very important to me. I am fond of hearing what it has to say, but as I have said before, patience is a great virtue in the House and we need to possess it at all times. I am therefore sure that the day will come when the hon. Gentleman will be able to move a motion proposing that the Leader of the House assume the exalted role of Chairman of the Modernisation Committee.
Greg Knight
Chair, Procedure Committee
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. Are not the facts as follows? This motion has been tabled twice with the intention of being moved and the Government have twice failed to move it. Does not that rather indicate that the Government do not know what on earth they are doing?
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
In another life, I was a Back Bencher. During that time, the right hon. Gentleman was a senior Whip and I recall that he sometimes withdrew motions. I never bothered to draw any conclusion from that; I always said to myself that that is the business we are in.
Andrew Robathan
Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Commons)
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. This is a matter dear to your heart, as you said, so would it not be to the advantage of the House—the nation's debating chamber—if we had a chance to discuss this matter in order properly to understand how to modernise the House of Commons?
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Perhaps the Government Whips have taken the lateness of the evening into consideration. They may want to put this motion on at an earlier time when the hon. Gentleman and others can have more time to discuss the matter. However, I do not know these things.
Peter Bone
Conservative, Wellingborough
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. As a new Member of the House, can you advise me why the Order Paper says that there would have been no debate had the motion been moved? I can recall earlier motions on which we had lively debates on appointments to Committees. I am a little confused by what it says on the Order Paper.
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
The hon. Gentleman may be a new Member, but that shows that he is certainly reading his Order Paper. I am reliably informed that that is a minor error. Of course, had the matter been taken before 10 o'clock, which it was not because it was not moved, it would have been debatable until 10 o'clock.
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