UK Parliament — House of Commons

Subject to the provisions of Standing Order No. 1B (Election of Speaker by secret ballot), the House shall meet on Mondays at half-past two o'clock, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at half-past eleven o'clock and on Thursdays at half-past nine o'clock and will first proceed with private business, motions for unopposed returns and questions: Provided that, when the House sits on a Tuesday or Wednesday which immediately follows a periodic adjournment of more than two days or is the first day of a Session, references to specific times in the Standing Orders of this House shall apply as if that day were a Monday.

No motion for the adjournment of the House shall be made on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday until all the questions asked at the commencement of public business shall have been disposed of, and, save as provided in paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 24 (Emergency debates), no Member other than a Minister of the Crown may make such a motion on any day before the orders of the day or notices of motions shall have been entered upon.

At ten o'clock on Mondays, at seven o'clock on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and at five o'clock on Thursdays (the 'moment of interruption'), the proceedings on any business then under consideration shall, save as otherwise provided in paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business), be interrupted; and, if the House be in committee, the occupant of the chair shall leave the chair, and report progress and ask leave to sit again; and if a motion has been made for the adjournment of the House (unless that motion is included in a motion to be made after the interruption of business under paragraph (2) of Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business)), or of the debate, or that the House has considered a specified matter, or in committee that the occupant of the chair do report progress, or do leave the chair, every such motion shall lapse.

On the interruption of business the closure may be claimed; and if moved, or if proceedings under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) be then in progress, the Speaker or the occupant of the chair shall not leave the chair until the questions consequent thereon and any further question, as provided in Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate), have been decided.

An order of the day not disposed of before the termination of a sitting shall be deferred to such day being a day on which the House ordinarily sits as the Member in charge of that order may appoint and any order of the day not reached before the termination of a sitting shall, unless the Member in charge of the order has given other instructions to the Clerk at the Table, stand over until the next sitting.

After the business under consideration at the moment of interruption has been disposed of, no opposed business shall be taken, save as provided in Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business).

The House shall not be adjourned except in pursuance of a resolution or by the Speaker in pursuance of Standing Order No. 46 (Power of the Speaker to adjourn House or suspend sitting): Provided that, when a substantive motion for the adjournment of the House has been made at or after the moment of interruption, the Speaker shall, after the expiration of half an hour after that motion has been made, adjourn the House without putting any question.

That, unless the House otherwise order, the House shall meet every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at Three of the clock, and shall, unless previously adjourned, sit till One of the clock a.m., when the Speaker shall adjourn the House without Question put, unless a Bill originating in Committee of Ways and Means, or unless Proceedings made in pursuance of any Act of Parliament or Standing Order, or otherwise exempted as hereinafter provided from the operation of this Standing Order, be then under consideration.

That at midnight on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, except as aforesaid, and at half-past Five of the clock on Wednesdays, the proceedings on any business then under consideration shall be interrupted; and, if the House be in Committee, the Chairman shall leave the Chair, and make his report to the House; and if a Motion has been proposed for the Adjournment of the House, or of the Debate, or in Committee That the Chairman do report Progress, or do leave the Chair, every such dilatory Motion shall lapse without Question put; and the business then under consideration, and any business subsequently appointed, shall be appointed for the next day on which the House shall sit, unless the Speaker ascertains by the preponderance of voices that a Majority of the House desires that such business should be deferred until a later day.

Provided always, That on the interruption of business the Closure may be moved; and if moved, or if proceedings under the Closure Rule be then in progress, the Speaker or Chairman shall not leave the Chair, until the Questions consequent thereon and on any further Motion, as provided in the Rule "Closure in Debate," have been decided.

That after the business under consideration at Twelve, and half-past Five respectively, has been disposed of, no opposed business shall be taken; and the Orders of the Day, not disposed of at the close of the sitting, shall stand for the next day on which the House shall sit.

That a Motion may be made by a Minister of the Crown at the commencement of Public Business, to be decided without Amendment or Debate, to the following effect: "That the proceedings on any specified business if under discussion at Twelve this night, be not interrupted under the Standing Order 'Sittings of the House.' "

Provided always, That after any business exempted from the operation of this Resolution is disposed of, the remaining business of the sitting shall be dealt with according to the provisions applicable to business taken after Twelve o'clock.

Provided also, That the Chairman of Ways and Means do take the Chair as Deputy Speaker, when requested so to do by Mr. Speaker, without any formal communication to the House. And that Mr. Speaker do nominate, at the commencement of every Session, a panel of not more than five Members to act as temporary Chairmen of Committees, when requested by the Chairman of Ways and Means.