On a point of order. As it is the sixtieth wedding anniversary of our sovereign, Her Majesty The Queen, is it in order for this House to formally congratulate Her Majesty and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, for the fine example that they have given to the nation and on this magnificent milestone in their married lives?

I hear what the Member has said, and I am sure that he could bring a motion to the House if he so wishes.

Mr Speaker, I ask you to rule on an issue. Yesterday, in the House, there was a vote on a motion on the Irish-medium club-bank arrangement, which was moved by my colleague Michelle McIlveen. If you check the Hansard report, you will notice that a Deputy Speaker of this House voted. That same Deputy Speaker was in the Chair during the debate on that motion. I believe that it is stated in Standing Orders that Deputy Speakers should not vote on such occasions.

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. You may recall that I was a Deputy Speaker in the previous Assembly. Throughout that period, when I sat in the Chair during a debate, I did not vote, even if that was prejudicial to my party’s interests. I notice, as Mr Storey has pointed out quite rightly, that Mr Molloy did vote. That is against the protocol that was established in the House.

I understand what both Members have said. I have looked at the Hansard report and I know that the Deputy Speaker was in the Chair for a few moments during the debate. However, the key point is that he was not in the Chair during the vote.

The established protocol was that if the Deputy Speaker sat in the Chair at any stage during a debate, even if it were only for 30 seconds, he would not take part in the vote. It is right and proper that anyone who chairs a debate does not take part in any ultimate decision made on it.

I thank the Member for his comments. I ask the House to allow me to come back to this issue at a later date, when I will make a ruling.

However, although I have said that the Deputy Speaker was in the Chair for a few seconds of the debate, the point that I am trying to make is that he was not there for its substance. Let me come back to the House and rule on that matter.

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. It is not the case that the Deputy Speaker was in the Chair for a few seconds; he was in the Chair for the first few minutes of the debate when my colleague Michelle McIlveen was moving the motion. The petition of concern was the reason that no vote was taken. I would like you to check who signed that petition of concern.

As I have said to both Members, I am extremely happy to come back to the issue and to make a further ruling on it.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. May I join with other Members in extending warm congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on the occasion of their anniversary? It is wonderful to see that the flag is flying from this Building.

Mr Speaker, I ask you to consider whether you would introduce some method, such as early-day motions, that would allow Members to pass on their congratulations in circumstances such as this. That mechanism is used in another place. It would give Members the opportunity either to extend their congratulations or to acknowledge sporting events such as Northern Ireland’s historic victory over Denmark on Saturday night.

The Member is stretching his point of order — there is no doubt about that.

However, as Speaker, I understand that, occasionally, there are issues that Members want to acknowledge, such as the Omagh tragedy and other events. I assure Members that I am considering a mechanism that allows Members to speak on particular issues about which they feel strongly, provided that they do not abuse the House in doing so. However, I assure Members that we are considering that matter to see how such contributions could be facilitated.