← Back to House of Commons Debates
Business of the House (13 May)
08 May 2024
Lead MP
Christopher Chope
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Parliamentary Procedure
Other Contributors: 8
At a Glance
Christopher Chope raised concerns about business of the house (13 may) in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Christopher Chope criticised the arrangement of the Order Paper, highlighting that despite two hours and three-quarters allocated for this motion's debate, a more important motion on Monday about exclusion of MPs has only two hours maximum. He also supported amendments to ensure exclusion would apply only if someone is charged with a violent or sexual offence rather than merely suspected.
Christchurch
Chope agreed with the Leader of the House for revising the original motion to exclude MPs only when they are charged, not just suspected. He also expressed concern over an amendment that would allow exclusion based on arrest rather than charge.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Lewis raised concerns about proposed amendments allowing suspension of MPs based on suspicion or allegation without factual underpinning, stressing the potential for abuse and targeting. He agreed that arrests require more substantial evidence than 'flimsy' claims.
Jess Phillips
Lab
Birmingham Yardley
Phillips argued against Lewis's intervention by stating that an arrest does not occur based on flimsy allegations but rather after thorough investigation, emphasising her experience dealing with such matters regularly.
Evans warned the debate should be confined to discussing time allocation for this motion and not pre-empt Monday's discussion. He emphasised that the current debate is about business management rather than substance.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Con
Rees-Mogg questioned whether motions are an appropriate method to address such significant issues, suggesting legislative requirements for exclusion of MPs might be more suitable. He also pointed out that the motion suspends Standing Order No. 41A without proper justification.
Winterton maintained strict adherence to debating the current motion's time allocation and advised against delving into Monday’s debate substance during this session.
Philip Davies
Con
Darlington
Davies supported Chope's arguments, emphasising that restricting debate time undermines constituents' rights. He argued for adequate time to properly address the amendments and urged reconsideration of the motion before it is moved.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Con
North East Somerset
Expressed concern about using Standing Orders to determine who can attend the House, suggesting that attendance has traditionally been set by legislation or individual exclusion. He proposed bringing forward legislation with a timetable motion instead of using Standing Orders for this purpose.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.