Lindsay Hoyle: Order. The Minister will have to sit down.
Lindsay Hoyle: Order. I don’t care what the Minister thinks he is doing; I am just telling him what he has to do.
Lindsay Hoyle: Do you wish to speak, Minister?
Lindsay Hoyle: The matter is now on the record for it to be picked up—[Interruption.] Hot potatoes! I now have to announce the result of today’s deferred Division, which was subject to a double majority vote under Standing Order No. 83Q, in respect of the Question relating to the draft Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order. The Ayes were 299 and the Noes were 211. In respect of the same Question...
Lindsay Hoyle: Order. I will have to introduce a seven-minute limit on speeches. I call Kevin Foster.
Lindsay Hoyle: It is part of it, and I am sure that the hon. Lady is leading on to the debate that we have had.
Lindsay Hoyle: I assure the Minister that the rest of us are not—come on!
Lindsay Hoyle: With the leave of the House, we will take motions 3 and 4 together. Motion made, and Question put forthwith ( Standing Order No. 118(6)),
Lindsay Hoyle: It is one-nil.
Lindsay Hoyle: Where is he?
Lindsay Hoyle: I now have to announce the results of today’s seven deferred Divisions. The first six relate to draft European Union (Definition of Treaties) Orders. In respect of the first question relating to Armenia, the Ayes were 535 and the Noes were 3, so the Ayes have it. In respect of the second question, relating to Central America, the Ayes were 534 and the Noes were 3, so the Ayes have it. In...
Lindsay Hoyle: With this it will be convenient to take Government amendment (a) in lieu of Lords amendment 1.
Lindsay Hoyle: It is up to the Minister. He said that he wanted to speak for only one minute.
Lindsay Hoyle: It was the Minister who suggested that he wanted only one minute in which to sum up. The fact that we are late does not matter to me.
Lindsay Hoyle: And Lancashire!
Lindsay Hoyle: Order. This is not about private chats. You have to speak through the Chair. I know there is great temptation among Members on both sides of the House to have a private debate, but the rest of us need to hear it and be part of it.
Lindsay Hoyle: Last but certainly not least, I call Mr Jim Shannon.
Lindsay Hoyle: I thank the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice that he wished to raise this matter. It may be helpful if I first make it clear that the House’s sub judice resolution is not an externally-imposed rule, but a self-denying ordinance by which the House has agreed to limit its freedom of speech by avoiding references in debate to cases that are active before the UK courts. Certain exemptions...
Lindsay Hoyle: First, I know that the hon. Gentleman always uses discretion—I would expect nothing else from such a senior Member. Regarding the second part of the hon. Gentleman’s point of order, I would like to refer to colleagues and come back to him.
Lindsay Hoyle: I can understand the concerns of the shadow Secretary of State for Justice about this happening at the last minute. As we know, court closures have been announced today, including the court in my constituency. This announcement has also come on the last day before the summer recess, so I do understand the hon. Gentleman’s point and have some sympathy with him. I thank the hon. Gentleman for...