Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Conduct of remote divisions

22 April 2020 · 7 other contributors

Opened by Lindsay Hoyle Speaker Chorley

Parliamentary Procedure

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Lindsay Hoyle raised concerns about conduct of remote divisions in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The Speaker Lindsay Hoyle introduced the debate on remote voting proposals without providing a detailed speech.
  • The Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg committed to careful consideration of the committee's findings before implementing any system for remote voting.
  • Rees-Mogg emphasised the importance of procedural safeguards and thanked the shadow Leader of the House for a constructive approach.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Lindsay Hoyle Speaker Chorley

The Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, introduced the debate and clarified that an amendment would only be relevant if it was moved. He did not provide a detailed speech but set up the context for the discussion on remote voting proposals.

Other contributors (7)
  • Karen Bradley Con Staffordshire Moorlands

    Proposed an amendment to delay remote voting until after thorough scrutiny by the Procedure Committee, expressed gratitude towards the Leader of the House for addressing concerns, and committed to writing a report within two sitting days.

  • Valerie Vaz Lab Walsall South

    Acknowledged the importance of securing remote voting but emphasised that it should not override the decision-making process of the House, stressed the need for security and practicality in implementing remote voting.

  • William Wragg Con Hazel Grove

    Raised concerns about procedural fairness and the equal representation of Members during this period of rapid change.

  • Chris Elmore Lab Pontypridd

    Defended the role of Whips in ensuring proper scrutiny while acknowledging the need for caution with remote voting measures.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Emphasised the importance of Northern Irish MPs being able to vote on potential legislation, particularly regarding abortion laws, and highlighted the necessity of democratic principles in voting procedures.

  • Andrew Griffith Con Arundel and South Downs

    Expressed reservations about moving too quickly with remote voting but acknowledged the Government's constructive approach to date.

  • Anthony Mangnall Con Totnes

    Echoed concerns over the permanent nature of temporary measures and stressed the importance of listening to the Procedure Committee before implementing any system.

Government Response

Jacob Rees-Mogg

The Minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg, thanked the Chair of the Procedure Committee for not pressing her amendment. He committed that no system would be adopted without ensuring every Member's ability to vote and assured careful consideration of the committee’s findings before implementation. Emphasised the importance of procedural safeguards and thanked the shadow Leader of the House for a constructive approach during these challenging times, marking this as potentially the last physical proceedings in Parliament until 12 May.

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