– in the House of Commons at 6:51 pm on 14 May 2008.
Votes in this debate
Motion made, and Question put,
That at this day's sitting,
The House divided: Ayes 279, Noes 111.
Division number 187
Deferred Divisions
James Gray
Conservative, North Wiltshire
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, I would be grateful for your guidance with regard to item No. 4 on the Order Paper—namely, the banks and banking statutory instrument. I served on the Committee that considered that this afternoon, and I raised a point of order there, too. Surely it is very unusual for a statutory instrument to be considered in Committee room at 2.30 pm and then in the main Chamber in the evening. I acknowledge that the Hansard report of the proceedings in Committee has been available in the Vote Office for some time this evening, but I doubt that many hon. Members have had the opportunity to read it.
The problem has been compounded by the fact that we have just agreed that the motion should not be dealt with through a deferred Division. That means that hon. Members will have to vote on the motion tonight, whereas normally they would have the opportunity of a few days to read Hansard before they did so. Surely that hardly gives the House due time and opportunity to consider what is a complex and technical matter that was considered only this afternoon.
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
I anticipated that an hon. Member—not necessarily the hon. Gentleman—would raise the matter, and I have taken the bother to write something out, which I shall read into the record.
This is an infrequent but well precedented occurrence. The transcript of the debate in the Delegated legislation Committee earlier today was produced very rapidly and is now in the Vote Office. I understand that it has been in the Vote Office for some two hours.
I hope that that explanation helps the hon. Gentleman. If he feels that it is inadequate, it is not for me to tell him what to do, but he can vote against the motion if he wishes—though I am not encouraging him to do that.
Christopher Chope
Conservative, Christchurch
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. You said that the procedure has precedent but is used infrequently. However, I understand that it was previously used on
Michael Martin
Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, Speaker of the House of Commons, Chair, Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Sometimes we deal with precedents from
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
The order paper is issued daily and lists the business which will be dealt with during that day's sitting of the House of Commons.
It provides MPs with details of what will be happening in the House throughout the day.
It also gives details of when and where the standing committees and select committees of the Commons will be meeting.
Written questions tabled to ministers by MPs on the previous day are listed at the back of the order paper.
The order paper forms one section of the daily vote bundle and is issued by the Vote Office
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.
Delegated legislation is law made by ministers under powers deriving from Acts of Parliament.
Thousands of pieces of delegated legislation, commonly known as statutory instruments, are passed by Parliament each year.
They enable the government to make minor, technical changes to the law without having to introduce a whole new Act of Parliament.
