§ Mr. Patrick McLoughlin (West Derbyshire)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I draw your attention to motion 7, which is about to be put to the House. You will see that the first two paragraphs, with which we have no problem whatever, refer to tomorrow's proceedings. However, paragraph 3 refers to proceedings next Friday, whereby the Government are attempting to reduce the amount of time for the motion on the Adjournment of the House.
May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, to use your powers on complicated questions? In 1888, the Speaker said that a complicated question can be divided if each part is capable of standing on its own. Clearly, paragraph 3 of the motion can stand by itself, and I therefore ask you to put the question on paragraphs 1 and 2 separately from paragraph 3, to which I shall object.
§ Mr. SpeakerI take it that the hon. Gentleman is speaking on behalf of the official Opposition and so is saying that paragraphs 1 and 2 of the motion have the agreement of the official Opposition. In that case, I ask the Whip to move paragraphs 1 and 2 together, and the House can then vote on those paragraphs. We can take the third paragraph separately, because I accept the hon. Gentleman's point that that paragraph can stand on its own.
§ Ordered,
§ That
- (1) at the sitting on Tuesday 14th May, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motions in the name of Mr. Robin Cook and Mr. Stephen Twigg relating to the Modernisation of the House of Commons, to Select Committees, Payment for Chairmen, Tax Law Rewrite, Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments, Liaison Committee: Power to take Evidence, Regulatory Reform and Power to Exchange Papers with Devolved Legislatures not later than four hours after the commencement of proceedings on the first such Motion, and such Questions shall include the Questions on any Amendments selected by the Speaker which may then be moved; the Questions may be decided, though opposed. after the expiration of the time for opposed business and the Order [28th June 2001] relating to deferred Divisions shall not apply to them;
- (2) at the sitting on Tuesday 14th May, the Motion in the name of Mr. Robin Cook relating to Code of Conduct may be proceeded with, though opposed, until any hour, and the Order [28th June 2001] relating to deferred Divisions shall not apply to Questions on the Motion or on any Amendments proposed to it; and:-[Dan Norris.]
§ Motion made,
§
That—
(3) at the sitting on Friday 24th May, proceedings on the Motion for the adjournment of the House in the name of the Prime Minister relating to matters to be considered before the forthcoming adjournment may continue for three hours, not including any time taken on Questions, statements or personal explanations made pursuant to paragraph (4) of Standing Order No. 11 (Friday sittings), and the Motion shall then lapse.—[Dan Norris.]
§ Mr. McLoughlinObject.