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replies have been given to questions addressed to ministers Chapter on a previous day, without a repetition of the question.

If a member does not distinguish his question by an asterisk, or if he or any other member deputed by him is not present to ask it, or if it is not reached by a quarter to four o'clock, the minister to whom it is addressed Printed causes an answer to be printed and circulated with the questions. votes, unless the member signifies his desire to postpone the question, before the interruption of questions at a quarter to four o'clock.

answers to

questions.

Answers to An answer should be confined to the points contained in the question, with such explanation only as renders the answer intelligible, though a certain latitude is permitted to ministers of the Crown;1 and further questions, without debate or comment, may, within due limits, be addressed tɔ them, which are necessary for the elucidation of the answers that they have given.2 The Speaker has called the attention of the house to the inconvenience that arises from an excessive demand for further replies, and, to hinder the practice, he has occasionally felt it necessary to call upon the member in whose name the next question stands upon the notice paper, to put his question.1 A question fully answered, whether orally or in print, cannot be renewed, nor can a question which one minister has refused to answer be addressed to another minister.6

Former usage.

7. Motions for the adjournment of the house before the commencement of public business.-According to past usage, it was in the power of two members to move, and second, a motion for the adjournment of the house, rising for that

1 161 H. D. 3 s. 497; 174 ib. 1423; 209 ib. 466; 210 ib. 153. 596; 240 ib. 1617; 241 ib. 964; 90 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 88.

2 211 H. D. 3 s. 1994; 212 ib. 298. 1624; 91 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 103. A supplementary question in the house cannot be based upon a printed answer, 108 ib. 372.

3 10th July, 1884, 290 H. D. 3 s. 686; 22nd March, 1886, 303 ib. 1503; 29th Aug. and 6th Sept. 1887, 320 ib.

279. 1360; 6th March, 1888, 323 ib.
374; 13th June, 1892, 5 Parl. Deb. 4
s. 551; 96 ib. 264; 146 ib. 936; 151
ib. 634; 156 ib. 710.

6th March, 1888, 323 H. D. 3 s.
374; 142 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 937.

225 H. D. 3 s. 792. 952. 1142; 235 ib. 1797; 285 ib. 877; 293 ib. 904; 299 ib. 1401; 109 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1397; 144 ib. 472.

6 34 ib. 1547.

VIII.

Chapter purpose either whilst questions to members were being put,
VIII.
or at any moment before the commencement of public
business, and to raise thereon a general debate.

255.

usage.

Experience impressed upon the house the necessity of Present placing upon that power some restrictions. Accordingly, s. 0.10, in 1882 a standing order was passed, which was amended Appendix I. in 1902, and the following procedure and practice have been founded thereon. A motion for the adjournment of the house for the purpose of raising debate, may only be made when all the questions to members asked on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have been disCommence- posed of, and before the commencement of public business. ment of public busi- The member who desires to make such motion, having ness, see p. previously delivered to the Speaker a notice in writing of the definite matter of urgent public importance which is to Reply by be discussed, rises in his place, and asks leave to move for that purpose the adjournment of the house. If the leave of the house be not unanimously given, the Speaker desires those members who support the motion to rise in Motions for their places; and if forty or more members rise accordadjournment not to ingly, the motion stands over till a quarter-past eight of last two the same day, when it has precedence of all other business. If, however, fewer than forty members, and not less than allotted for business of ten have so risen, the member may, if he thinks fit, demand a division, upon question put forthwith, to determine whether such motion may be made.

mover, see p. 321.

be made on

days

supply, see

p. 607.
S. O. 15.

4

A motion under standing order No. 10 must be restricted Rules regarding to a single specific matter of recent occurrence; and as motions for the matter to be discussed must be of an urgent nature, ment under adjournno notice should be given of an intention to resort to the S. 0. 10. motion on a future occasion.5 If a matter submitted to

1 233 H. D. 3 s. 978; 234 ib. 33. 1301; 237 ib. 1539; 238 ib. 1951; 241 ib. 130.

2 30th Nov. 1882, 275 ib. 407.

3 30th Nov. 1882, 275 ib. 409; 13 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 907; 148 C. J. 349. 599; 157 ib. 233. Such a division cannot be treated as one frivolously claimed under standing order No. 30, 13 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 908.

22nd March, 1887, 312 H. D. 3 s. 1196; 1st Sept. 1887, 320 ib. 751; 12th April, 1888, 324 ib. 1068; 24th April, 1888, 325 ib. 347. See also the Speaker's remarks upon the scope of such motions, 13th April, 1894, 23 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 367; 110 ib. 602.

5 22nd Jan. 1891, Speaker's ruling.

VIII.

the house in pursuance of this standing order fails to Chapter obtain the requisite support, it cannot, during the same session, be again brought forward in the same manner; nor can more than one motion for adjournment be made during the same sitting of the house.1 Though the responsibility of bringing forward a matter, as a matter of urgency, rests with the member who desires to exercise the right given by the standing order,2 still there must be some colour of urgency in the proposal; and the Speaker declines to submit a motion for adjournment to the house if, in his opinion, the subject to be brought forward is not a "definite matter of urgent public importance." The Speaker also is bound to apply to these motions the established rules of debate, and to enforce the principle that subjects excluded by those rules cannot be brought forward Motions, thereon; such as a matter under adjudication by a court of law, or matters already discussed during the current session, whether upon a previous motion for adjournment,5 upon a substantive motion, upon an amendment, or upon an order of the day. Equally, discussion cannot be raised on a motion for adjournment on any matter already appointed for consideration, or of which notice has been given; nor can exemption from this rule be obtained by a withdrawal of such matter from the notice paper at the commencement of the sitting on which the motion for adjournment is sought to be made."

6

In accordance, therefore, with this principle, when it was proposed to call attention, on a motion for adjournment, to

1 Speaker's ruling (private), 10th April, 1891; 17th April, 1893, 11 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 459.

2 14th Nov. 1882, 274 H. D. 3 s. 1447; 30 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1285; 81 ib. 1427.

3 4th July, 1887, 316 H. D. 3 s. 1613; 12th June, 1890, 345 ib. 738; 33 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1614; 90 ib. 1604; 93 ib. 463; 96 ib. 444; 113 ib. 633; 114 ib. 603; 138 ib. 788; 146 ib. 59. 497; 149 ib. 390, 411; 150 ib. 940, 1184.

4 275 H. D. 3 s. 26; 310 ib. 1777; 337 ib. 899; 85 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 976; 91 ib. 912.

58th July, 1889, 337 H. D. 3 s. 1697; 86 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 222.

238 H. D. 3 s. 1492; 275 ib. 26; 310 ib. 1777; 328 ib. 1411. 1417; 337 ib. 899; 4 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 189; 17 ib. 1579; 41 ib. 522; 81 ib. 680; 122 ib. 1648; 134 ib. 1186.

23rd March, 1891, Speaker's ruling (private); 4 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 190; 46 ib. 1350.

see p. 278.

VIII.

Chapter the conduct of the government in deferring a statement of their intentions regarding the course of business, the Speaker declared that he should decline to put the motion, because it would anticipate an announcement of which notice had been given,1 while motions for adjournment regarding matters for the discussion of which the committee of supply or other appointed business would afford an early opportunity have been ruled to be out of order. So also the debates of the same session, or the terms of a bill before the House of Lords; a matter of privilege or order; or matters debatable only upon a substantive motion, cannot be submitted to the house under this standing order (see p. 277).

The provisions of standing order No. 10, which prescribe that a motion for the adjournment of the house cannot be made until the questions to members set down for the sitting are disposed of, and that such a motion, if leave be given to make it, shall stand over until a quarter-past eight o'clock, do not preclude a motion for the immediate adjournment of the house made by a minister of the Crown, at any time before the commencement of public business, if occasion for the motion has arisen.5

Commencement of public business.-Public business commences when the Speaker has called the first member who has given notice to present a bill without an order of the house for its introduction, or the member in charge of the first motion appointed to be taken at the commencement of public business, or which stands first upon the notice paper, or upon the Clerk, to read an order of the day. Consequently, after the Speaker's call, no motion can be made for the adjournment of the house under standing order No. 10; nor, until the business set down for that

1 12th June, 1890, 345 H. D. 3 s. 738.

2 339 ib. 1669; 17 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 1579; 86 ib. 93; 91 ib. 1125; 92 ib. 1093; 132 ib. 859; 135 ib. 807; 136 ib. 706; 150 ib. 924; 153 ib. 941.

3 Newfoundland Fisheries Bill,

sess. 1891, Speaker's ruling (private). 154 H. D. 3 s. 445; 90 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 702.

6th Dec. 1884, 294 H. D. 3 s. 843-847; 153 C. J. 213; 150 Parl. Deb. 4 s. 70, 160 C. J. 349.

Precedence given by order to

sitting is concluded, can a notice be given, or, save with Chapter the indulgence of the house, can a question be asked.

VIII.

8. Motions, &c., at the commencement of public business.All motions relating to the business of the house, set down for consideration at the commencement of public business, must stand in the name of a minister of the Crown,1 and Precious are placed in the following order :

question not permissible on these

Firstly. Whenever, to meet the requirements of public motions, business, immediate action on the part of the house is see p. 283. ment bills, needed, upon an order obtained by a minister, orders of

govern

Motions relating to

action of business.

the day relating to the stages of a bill, such as a Consoli-
dated Fund Bill, or to the consideration of a resolution on
which the introduction of a bill is founded, are set down
at the commencement of public business before all other
orders of the day, or notices of motions.2

ments to

motions, see

p. 268.

Secondly. Motions relating to the business or the arrange- Amendthe trans- ments of the house come next in order upon the notice business paper; and a motion for a vote of thanks, when moved by a minister of the Crown,3 is placed among these motions. These motions have precedence over any bill or other matter to which the house, by order, has given

1 The motion for the adjournment of the house over the Derby day when moved by an unofficial member was by custom set down at the commencement of public business. 3rd June, 1878, 240 H. D. 3 s. 1076. 1171; 306 ib. 34; 136 C. J. 276, &c.; 10th May, 1883, 279 H. D. 3 s. 419; see Mr. Bentinck's motion, notice paper, 13th July, 1871.

2 Exchequer Bills Bill, and Ways and Means Report, 109 C. J. 226; Annuities Bill, 111 ib. 220; Oaths Bill, 113 ib. 167; Tobacco Duties Bill, third reading, 23rd March, 1863, 118 ib. 130; Mutiny and Marine Mutiny Bills, third reading, 31st March, 1868, 123 ib. 116; 191 H. D. 3 s. 573; Elementary Education Bill, 9th June, 1891, 146 C. J. 343; 354 H. D. 3 s. 31; stages of the Consolidated Fund Bill, 128 C. J. 120; 129 ib. 64; 131 ib. 118; 228 H. D. 3 s. 564; 137 C. J. 118; 145 ib.

213. 214; 147 ib. 127; 148 ib. 151; 152 ib. 133. 134; 153 ib. 102. 103; 154 ib. 108; 155 ib. 108; 156 ib. 104.

3 15th May, 1884, 288 H. D. 3 s. 434. Operations in India, 8th Feb. 1858, 148 ib. 865; Afghanistan, 4th Aug. 1879, 134 C. J. 397.

Although, as a rule, previous notice is given of motions relating to the business of the house, previous notice is not essential in the case of motions for the adjournment of the house over Christmas, Easter, or Whitsuntide holidays (4th Dec. 1884, 4th April, 1871, 19th April, 1886, 13th May, 1869, 11th May, 1880, 15th May, 1891, 21st May, 1896); and if notice is given of such motions, the notice may be placed either at the commencement of public business, or among the orders of the day or other notices of motion.

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