§ Motion made, and Question proposed,
§ That, as a new Standing Order:—
§ Urgent debates.
§ (1) No motion for the adjournment of the House shall be made until all the questions asked at the commencement of public business on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday have been disposed of, and no such motion shall be made unless by a Minister of the Crown before the orders of the day or notices of motions have been entered upon, unless a Member rising in his place shall propose to move the adjournment for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration; if Mr. Speaker is satisfied that the matter is proper to be so discussed, the Member may either obtain the leave of the House, or if such leave be refused, the assent of not less than forty Members who shall thereupon rise in their places to support the motion, or, if fewer than forty Members and not less than ten shall thereupon rise in their places, the House shall, on a division upon question put forthwith, determine whether such motion shall be made.
§ (2) If leave is given or the motion is so supported or the House so determines that it shall be made, the motion shall stand over until the commencement of public business on the following day (or, on Thursdays, until the commencement of public business on the following Monday) when proceedings upon it shall be interrupted after three hours, or, if Mr. Speaker directs that the urgency of the matter so requires, until seven of the clock on the same day.
§ (3) A Member intending to propose to move the adjournment of the House under the provisions of this order shall give notice to Mr. Speaker by twelve of the clock, if the urgency of the matter is known at that hour; if the 724 urgency is not so known he shall give notice as soon thereafter as is practicable; if Mr. Speaker so desires he may defer giving his decision upon whether the matter is proper to be discussed until a named hour, when he may interrupt the proceedings of the House for the purpose.
§ (4) In determining whether a matter is proper to be discussed Mr. Speaker shall have regard to the extent to which it concerns the administrative responsibilities of Ministers of the Crown or could come within the scope of Ministerial action; in determining whether a matter is urgent Mr. Speaker shall have regard to the probability of the matter being brought before the House in time by other means.
§ (5) Mr. Speaker shall state whether or not he is satisfied that the matter is proper to be discussed without giving the reasons for his decision to the House.
§ (6) Debate on motions made under this Order may include reference to any matter that would be in order on a motion to take note of the subject under discussion, and a motion may be made under this order notwithstanding the fact that a motion for the adjournment is already before the House or is proposed to be made.
§ (7) Any proceeding which has been postponed at seven of the clock under this order shall not, save as is provided in paragraph (2), of Standing Order No. 2 (Exempted business), be interrupted at ten of the clock and may be resumed and proceeded with at or after that hour for a period of time equal to the duration of the proceedings upon a motion under this order.
§ That this Order be a Standing Order of the House.
§ That Standing Order No. 9 (Adjournment on definite matter of urgent public importance) be repealed.—[Mr. Selwyn Lloyd.]
§ Motion deferred till Tomorrow.