House of Lords Reform Bill — [2nd Allocated Day]

Part of Local Services (Planning) – in the House of Commons at 5:02 pm on 10 July 2012.

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Photo of Jack Straw Jack Straw Labour, Blackburn 5:02, 10 July 2012

May I take my hon. Friend back to the issue of programme motions? She came here before we introduced them, and by the way, I regret that we ever did. [Interruption.] Yes, and I have been consistent on that. Does she accept that before programme motions were introduced, a number of major and constitutional Bills went before the House and were dealt with satisfactorily? New Members perhaps do not properly appreciate that a programme motion not only closes debate according to a timetable but restricts the rights of Back Benchers much more than an ordinary and open motion of committal to the Floor of the House.