Local Government Finance Bill (Allocation of Time) (Hansard, 22 February 1988)

§ Sir Peter Emery (Honiton)
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
May I anticipate the hon. Gentleman? I have not selected the amendment in the names of the hon. Gentleman and several other right hon. and hon. Members.

§ Sir Peter Emery
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for your statement. However, in procedure, is there not a great deal of difference between debating a matter and testing the support of the House for a matter? On this matter of principle, how can the House reach a decision? On the Education Reform Bill, an exactly similar amendment, which you agreed was in order and which was tabled by members of the previous Procedure Committee, was not selected.
This amendment, which tries to regulate the position, is supported not only by my inferior self, but by a previous Leader of the House, my right hon. Friend the Member for Shropshire, North (Mr. Biffen), a previous leader of the Labour party, the right hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Foot), the deputy leader of the Liberal party, the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) and other distinguished right hon. and hon. Members. The amendment has not been selected. How, therefore, on this most important matter of timetabling, which is a limitation of Members' rights—there cannot be anything much more important than that—can we ensure that the principle set out in the amendment is not just debatable —we realise that it can be debated—but can be forced to a Division? Surely it is not otiose that we force the Government to a particular point rather than accept their assurances or intentions. Must that not make Members look to you, Mr. Speaker, to ensure their rights against the might of the Government? How can we do that if we cannot vote on the matter?

§ Mr. Speaker
I imagine that every Business Committee considers a Bill with a view to ensuring that every part of it is debated. That is the object of the Business Committee.

§ Sir Peter Emery
Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. May we have that as an official ruling in "Erskine May"? At present that is not the case, and it would be a most important new step if the Business Committee always sought to ensure that every part of the Bill was debated.

§ Mr. Speaker
That is not a matter to be included in "Erskine May".

§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. John Wakeham)
I beg to move, That the following provisions shall apply to the remaining proceedings on the Bill: