HC Deb 13 May 1985 vol 79 cc1244-5

Ordered, That Standing Order No. 6 (Arrangement of public business) be amended as follows:

Line 4, leave out paragraph (2) and insert: '(2) Twenty days shall be allotted in each session for proceedings on opposition business, seventeen of which shall be at the disposal of the Leader of the Opposition and three of which shall be at the disposal of the Leader of the second largest opposition party; and matters selected on those days shall have precedence over government business provided that—

  1. (a) two Friday sittings shall be deemed equivalent to a single sitting on any other day,
  2. (b) on any day other than a Friday, not more than two of the days at the disposal of the Leader of the Opposition may be taken in the form of four half days, and one of the days at the disposal of the Leader of the second largest opposition party may be taken in the form of two half days; and
  3. (c) on any such half day proceedings under this paragraph shall either—
  1. (i) lapse at seven o'clock if not previously concluded, or
  2. (ii) be set down for consideration at seven o'clock and, except on days on which private business has been set down for consideration under the provisions of paragraph (5) of Standing Order No. 7 (Time for taking private business), shall be entered upon at that time:
Provided that on days on which business stands over until seven o'clock under the provisions of Standing Order No. 10 (Adjournment on specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration) proceedings under this sub-paragraph shall not be entered upon until such business has been disposed of, and may then be proceeded with for three hours, notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order No. 1 (Sittings of the House). (2A) For the purposes of this order "the second largest opposition party" shall be that party, of those not represented in Her Majesty's Government, which has the second largest number of Members elected to the House as members of that party.'; and That Standing Order No. 33 (Questions on amendments) be amended as follows: Line 9, leave out from first 'the' to 'Standing' in line 11, and insert 'twenty days allotted under paragraph (2) of'.—[Mr. Archie Hamilton.]