| Motion made, and Question proposed, |
| That, from the beginning of next Session, Standing Order No. 6 (Precedence of government business) shall be amended by adding at the end of line 3— |
| '(2) Matters selected by the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition shall have precedence over government business on nineteen allotted days in each session provided that— |
| (a) two Friday sittings shall be deemed equivalent to a single sitting on any other day, and |
| (b) not more than two days so allotted may be taken in the form of four half days on any day other than a Friday'.—[Mr. Biffen.] |
§
Amendment made: (g) in line 3, leave out from `(2)' to `provided' in line 4 and insert
'Nineteen allotted days in each session shall be at the disposal of the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition and matters selected on these days shall have precedence over government business.'.—[Mr. Walter Harrison.]
Amendment proposed: (i) in line 8, at end add—
'(3) The allocation of days and half days between the various Opposition parties shall be made by the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition in consultation with the other Opposition parties in the House and having regard to the number of seats each party holds in the House.'.—[Mr. Berth.]
§ Question put, That the amendment be made:—
§ The House divided: Ayes 38, Noes 126.
| Division 283] | [3.10 am |
| AYES | |
| Alton, David | Magee, Bryan |
| Beaumont-Dark, Anthony | Ogden, Eric |
| Brocklebank-Fowler, C. | Osborn, John |
| Brown, Ronald W. (H'ckn'y S) | Owen, Rt Hon Dr David |
| Budgen, Nick | Penhaligon, David |
| Cartwright, John | Pitt, William Henry |
| Crawshaw, Richard | Rodgers, Rt Hon William |
| Cunningham, G. (Islington S) | Sandelson, Neville |
| du Cann, Rt Hon Edward | Smith, Cyril (Rochdale) |
| Ellis, Tom (Wrexham) | Steel, Rt Hon David |
| Emery, Sir Peter | Thomas, Mike (Newcastle E) |
| Freud, Clement | Thomas, Rt Hon Peter |
| Grant, John (Islington C) | Wainwright, R.(Colne V) |
| Horam, John | Wellbeloved, James |
| Jenkins, Rt Hon Roy (Hillhead) | Williams, Rt Hon Mrs (Crosby) |
| Lewis, Kenneth (Rutland) | Wrigglesworth, Ian |
| Lyons, Edward (Bradf'd W) | |
| Mabon, Rt Hon Dr J. Dickson | Tellers for the Ayes: |
| Maclennan, Robert | Mr. A. J. Beith and |
| McNally, Thomas | Mr. John Roper. |
| NOES | |
| Alison, Rt Hon Michael | Bray, Dr. Jeremy |
| Baker, Kenneth (St.M'bone) | Brittan, Rt. Hon. Leon |
| Baker, Nicholas (N Dorset) | Brooke, Hon Peter |
| Bennett, Andrew (St'kp't N) | Brown, Michael (Brigg & Sc'n) |
| Berry, Hon Anthony | Buck, Antony |
| Best, Keith | Butcher, John |
| Biffen, Rt Hon John | Cadbury, Jocelyn |
| Blaker, Peter | Campbell-Savours, Dale |
| Boscawen, Hon Robert | Carlisle, Kenneth (Lincoln) |
| Bottomley, Peter (W'wich W) | Chalker, Mrs. Lynda |
| Boyson, Dr Rhodes | Channon, Rt. Hon. Paul |
| Chapman, Sydney | Morris, Rt Hon C. (O'shaw) |
| Cocks, Rt Hon M. (B'stol S) | Morrison, Hon P. (Chester) |
| Cope, John | Myles, David |
| Cryer, Bob | Neale, Gerrard |
| Dean, Joseph (Leeds West) | Nelson, Anthony |
| Dobson, Frank | Neubert, Michael |
| Dubs, Alfred | Newton, Tony |
| Dunn, Robert (Dartford) | Onslow, Cranley |
| Eggar, Tim | Page, Richard (SW Herts) |
| English, Michael | Patten, John (Oxford) |
| Evans, John (Newton) | Pattie, Geoffrey |
| Eyre, Reginald | Pawsey, James |
| Finsberg, Geoffrey | Percival, Sir Ian |
| Forman, Nigel | Pollock, Alexander |
| Fraser, Peter (South Angus) | Powell, Rt Hon J.E. (S Down) |
| Garel-Jones, Tristan | Raison, Rt Hon Timothy |
| Golding, John | Rathbone, Tim |
| Goodlad, Alastair | Rhodes James, Robert |
| Gow, Ian | Roberts, M. (Cardiff NW) |
| Gray, Hamish | Rooker, J. W. |
| Gummer, John Selwyn | Rossi, Hugh |
| Hamilton, Michael (Salisbury) | Sainsbury, Hon Timothy |
| Hampson, Dr Keith | Scott, Nicholas |
| Harrison, Rt Hon Walter | Shaw, Giles (Pudsey) |
| Havers, Rt Hon Sir Michael | Sheerman, Barry |
| Hayhoe, Barney | Shelton, William (Streatham) |
| Higgins, Rt Hon Terence L. | Short, Mrs Renée |
| Hogg, Hon Douglas (Gr'th'm) | Silkin, Rt Hon J. (Deptford) |
| Howe, Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey | Sims, Roger |
| Howell, Rt Hon D. (G'ldf'd) | Skinner, Dennis |
| Hunt, David (Wirral) | Spearing, Nigel |
| Hurd, Rt Hon Douglas | Stanley, John |
| Jenkin, Rt Hon Patrick | Stewart, Ian (Hitchin) |
| Jopling, Rt Hon Michael | Stoddart, David |
| Joseph, Rt Hon Sir Keith | Stradling Thomas, J. |
| King, Rt Hon Tom | Tebbit, Rt Hon Norman |
| Lamont, Norman | Thompson, Donald |
| Lawson, Rt Hon Nigel | Thornton, Malcolm |
| Lee, John | Townend, John (Bridlington) |
| Lennox-Boyd, Hon Mark | Trippier, David |
| Macfarlane, Neil | Vaughan, Dr Gerard |
| MacGregor, John | Viggers, Peter |
| McKay, Allen (Penistone) | Waddington, David |
| McNamara, Kevin | Wakeham, John |
| Major, John | Waldegrave, Hon William |
| Marten, Rt Hon Neil | Warren, Kenneth |
| Mather, Carol | Wells, Bowen |
| Maxwell-Hyslop, Robin | Wheeler, John |
| Mellor, David | Wickenden, Keith |
| Moate, Roger | Wiggin, Jerry |
| Moore, John | Wilkinson, John |
| Winnick, David | Tellers for the Noes: |
| Young, Sir George (Acton) | Mr. Ian Lang and |
| Mr. Archie Hamilton. |
§ (1) On any day on which the second reading of a Consolidated Fund or an Appropriation Bill stands as the first order of the day, the question thereon shall be put forthwith upon the reading of that order, no order shall be made for the committal of the Bill and the question for third reading shall be put forthwith.
§ (2) At the conclusion of proceedings on a Consolidated Fund or an Appropriation Bill, a member of the Government may move 'That this House do now adjourn', the motion shall not lapse at ten o'clock, and if proceedings have not been concluded by nine o'clock in the morning at that sitting, the motion shall lapse at that hour.—[Mr. Biffen.]
183§ Question accordingly negatived.
§ Main Question, as amended, agreed to.
§
Ordered,
That, from the beginning of next Session, Standing Order No. 6 (Precedence of government business) shall be amended by adding at the end of line 3—