Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 5:11 pm on 24 February 2020.
Rachel Reeves
Chair, Business and Trade Committee, Chair, Business and Trade Committee
5:11,
24 February 2020
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. One hundred years ago today, a woman made a speech in this Chamber for the first time—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”] While I do not agree with everything that Nancy Astor said or did, her maiden speech on the dangers and perils of alcohol paved the way for many more of us to speak in this House. I wonder whether you had heard of any way to celebrate that centenary.
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.
Maiden speech is the first formal speech made by an MP in the House of Commons or by a member of the House of Lords
