§ Mr. Liddell-Grainger accordingly presented a Bill to create full statutory public consultation procedures wheresoever road traffic management schemes are proposed by local authorities: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 21 November, and to be printed [Bill 174].
§ Mr. Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I am sure that I recall that rulings have been made from the Chair that votes should follow voices and that, particularly in the case of ten-minute Bills such as the one that we have just considered, it was not the done thing—I put it no more strongly—for people to seek to make a cheap speech opposing a Bill without following it by dividing the House. I do not 803 necessarily want you to make an instant ruling, but it would help the House to know whether that ruling is indeed still in force, or whether I can now speak against every ten-minute Bill and then not bother to divide the House.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe right hon. Gentleman has a good reputation for dividing the House. I remember him doing so at 2 o'clock in the morning when I was a Deputy Speaker, and I was very grateful to him for doing so. We are all on a learning curve from time to time, and I say to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) that the next time he opposes a Bill, if he gently says no, it will allow me to express an opinion that the Ayes have it. He does not need to divide the House, but a voice should be heard when I invite the House to divide.
§ Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)Put it down to his inexperience.
§ Mr. SpeakerWe all have to learn—even the hon. Gentleman.