§
Ordered,
That,
(1) the following Standing Order (Written statements by ministers) be made:
A Minister of the Crown, being a Member of the House, may give notice of his intention to make a ministerial statement in written form on a specified day not later than five sitting days after the day on which notice was given: and such statements shall be printed in the Official Report.
(2) with effect from 1st January 2003, the following amendments to Standing orders be made:
- (a) Standing Order No. 21 (Time for taking questions) be amended as follows: Line 13, by leaving out the words 'on the order paper' and inserting the words 'in the Questions Book'.
- (b) Standing Order No. 22 (Notices of questions, motions and amendments) be amended as follows:
- Line 2, at end insert 'in a form determined by the Speaker'
- Line 17, leave out from 'that' to end of line 34 and insert—
- (5) Notice of a question for oral answer may be given only for answer on the next day on which the Member to whom it is addressed is due to give oral answers; and in respect of each such day the Speaker shall specify the latest date and time at which notice may be given and how many questions are to be printed for each Member answering; and only that number of notices of questions (selected at random from those received in a manner to be prescribed by the Speaker) shall be treated as valid notices received on the day concerned;
- Provided that the latest date and time specified by the Speaker shall be such as to enable the notices selected to be printed and circulated
- (a) in the case of questions to the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales at least four clays (excluding Friday, Saturday and Sunday) before the question is to be answered or
- (b) in the case of questions to other Ministers, at least two days (excluding Friday, Saturday and Sunday) before the question is to be answered'.
- Line 38, leave out from 'paragraphs' to end of paragraph and add `(4) and (5) of this order and specifying the arrangements for tabling questions during the adjournment'.—[Mr. Woolas.]