§ Sir Peter Emery (East Devon)On a point of order, Madam Speaker. I tried to give you notice via the Clerks of this point of order, which arises on a simple matter.
Can you confirm that, as "Erskine May" says in several places, if, during a debate in the House that has not exceeded its limited time—when there is still plenty of time for the debate to continue—a Member who has previously spoken rises to speak again, he can do so with the leave of the House?
§ Madam SpeakerThe right hon. Gentleman is of course quite right in saying that a Member who wishes to make a second speech may do so by securing the leave of the House, with no single Member objecting. However, in my experience—I am sure that it is the experience of many Members—"Erskine May" is accurate in stating on page 375:
It is very rare for a second speech to be allowed to a private Member other than the mover of a motion.However, for all that, I know of the great interest that the right hon. Gentleman takes in such matters of procedure, and I am sorry that he was disappointed last evening. Having read Hansard carefully, I think that the Chair followed the current practice, whereby the House normally expects a Government winding-up speech to conclude a debate on a Government motion.
§ Sir Peter EmeryFurther to that point of order, Madam Speaker. It is most helpful to have had your ruling, but surely it is the House that makes the decision, not the Chair.
§ Madam SpeakerIt is the House that makes the decision, but may I draw the right hon. Gentleman's attention to last evening's Hansard? I see that the Government Whip asked the leave of the House to withdraw the motion. As the right hon. Gentleman knows from his great experience of procedure, one voice raised objecting to the withdrawal of the motion could well have led to a different situation.
Very often, when we come to the end of a debate, members are confused about procedure. It is important that they should understand the courses of action that are open.
§ Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)Further to that point of order, Madam Speaker. I was a spectator last night at those enticing events. I confide in you—obviously, if one wants to keep a secret, one expresses it in the House of Commons—that it was a source of misery to me, as I was settling down, awaiting a couple of hours of outstanding speech from my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Sir P. Emery), that he did not have the opportunity to deliver that speech.
As you know, Madam Speaker, I am a new Member, and I seek clarification and guidance. Are you telling the House that if there had been a single objection to the request of the Government Whip to withdraw the motion, I would have had the succulent pleasure of listening to my right hon. Friend for a couple of hours?
§ Madam SpeakerIndeed you would.
§ Sir Peter EmeryMay I make it quite clear that I had no intention of speaking for two hours?