Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 1
House of Commons Procedure Committee Formal minutes Session 2013–14
2 Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2010–12
Procedure Committee The Procedure Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to consider the practice and procedure of the House in the conduct of public business, and to make recommendations.
Current membership Charles Walker (Con, Broxbourne) (Chair) Mrs Jenny Chapman (Lab, Darlington) Nic Dakin (Lab, Scunthorpe) Thomas Docherty (Lab, Dunfermline and West Fife) Mr Roger Gale (Con, North Thanet) Helen Goodman (Labour, Bishop Auckland) Mr James Gray (Con, North Wiltshire) Tom Greatrex (Lab/Co-op, Rutherglen and Hamilton West) John Hemming (Lib Dem, Birmingham Yardley) Mr David Nuttall (Con, Bury North) Jacob Rees-Mogg (Con, North East Somerset) Martin Vickers (Con, Cleethorpes)
Powers The powers of the Committee are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 147. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk.
Publication The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at http://www.parliament.uk/proccom.
Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Huw Yardley and Lloyd Owen (Clerks) and James Camp (Committee Assistant).
Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Procedure Committee, Journal Office, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA . The telephone number for general enquiries is 020 7219 3318; the Committee’s email address is [email protected]
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 3
Proceedings of the Committee
Wednesday 15 May 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Mrs Jenny Chapman Mr James Gray Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Helen Goodman
1. Early Day Motions
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Private Members’ bills
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Sitting hours
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 12 June at 3 pm
Wednesday 12 June 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr James Gray Martin Vickers
Private Members’ bills
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The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 19 June at 3 pm
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Helen Goodman Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr James Gray Martin Vickers John Hemming
1. Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
Professor Tony Wright, Professor of Government and Public Policy, University College London, and Dr Meg Russell, Deputy Director, Constitution Unit, University College London, gave oral evidence.
2. Early day motions
The Committee considered the Chair’s draft Report (Early Day Motions).
The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the First Report of the Committee of Session 2013– 14, HC 189.
3. Conventions and courtesies of the House
The Committee considered this matter.
4. 2010 elections to positions in the House.
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 26 June at 3 pm
Wednesday 26 June 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 5
Thomas Docherty John Hemming Helen Goodman Mr David Nuttall Mr James Gray Jacob Rees-Mogg
1. Private Members’ bills
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Programming
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 10 July at 3 pm
Wednesday 10 July 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Mrs Jenny Chapman Mr James Gray Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Helen Goodman Martin Vickers
1. Private Members’ bills
The Committee considered the Chair’s draft Report (Private Members’ bills).
The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Second Report of the Committee of Session 2013–14, HC 188.
2. Review of the Backbench Business Committee
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Sitting hours and the Parliamentary calendar
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The Committee considered this matter.
4. Debates on Government e-Petitions in Westminster Hall
Ordered, That the Government response to the Committee’s report on Debates on Government e-Petitions in Westminster Hall (P 14) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.
5. Future programme
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 4 September at 3 pm
Wednesday 4 September 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Mrs Jenny Chapman John Hemming Helen Goodman Mr David Nuttall Mr James Gray Jacob Rees-Mogg Tom Greatrex
1. Work of the Leader of the House
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Proposed amendment to Standing Order No. 33
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Programming
The Committee considered this matter.
4. Time limits on speeches in Grand Committees
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 11 September at 3 pm
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 7
Wednesday 11 September 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Mrs Jenny Chapman John Hemming Helen Goodman Mr David Nuttall John Hemming Jacob Rees-Mogg
Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to the Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees be reported to the House for publication on the internet:
Sir Gerald Howarth MP (P 18) Dr Louise Thompson (P 19) Graham Allen MP (P 20) Michael Meacher MP (P 21) Committee of Selection (P 26).
Resolved, That the Committee take evidence from Members of the House on the Committee of Selection and the membership of General Committees in private.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee of Selection, gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 9 October at 3 pm
Wednesday 9 October 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
James Gray Jacob Rees-Mogg John Hemming Martin Vickers Mr David Nuttall
1. Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
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Ordered, That the written evidence from Martin Hanson (Brunel University) and Phil Larkin (University of Canberra) (P 35) relating to the Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees be reported to the House for publication on the internet.
Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, Rt Hon Nick Brown MP and Mr Graham Brady MP, gave oral evidence.
2. Written Parliamentary questions
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 23 October at 3 pm
Wednesday 23 October 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman James Gray Nic Dakin John Hemming Sir Roger Gale Mr David Nuttall Helen Goodman Martin Vickers
1. Programming
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Paperless working
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 30 October at 3 pm
Wednesday 30 October 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 9
Sir Roger Gale Mr David Nuttall James Gray Jacob Rees-Mogg John Hemming Martin Vickers
1. Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
Ordered, That the written evidence from Meg Hillier (P 28) relating to the Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees be reported to the House for publication on the internet.
Rob Flello MP, Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP and Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, gave oral evidence.
2. Time limits on speeches in Grand Committees
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 6 November at 3.30 pm
Wednesday 6 November 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman John Hemming Nic Dakin Mr David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Jacob Rees-Mogg James Gray Martin Vickers
Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
Ordered, That the written evidence from Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith MP, Chair of the Liaison Committee, (P 43) relating to the Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees be reported to the House for publication on the internet.
Rt Hon Sir John Randall MP, Rt Hon Sir Andrew Stunell MP and Dame Angela Watkinson MP gave oral evidence.
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[Adjourned till Wednesday 20 November at 3 pm
Wednesday 20 November 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Sir Roger Gale John Hemming Tom Greatrex Mr David Nuttall
Subsidiarity—monitoring by national parliaments: challenging a measure before the EU Court of Justice
Resolved, That the Chair write to the Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee: thanking that Committee for its work in this area; expressing the Procedure Committee’s view that the Chair of the ESC and the Accounting Officer should go ahead and sign the Memoranda of Understanding which have been agreed; repeating the European Scrutiny Committee’s hope that the originating Committee or Member(s) would follow the processes set out in the first Memorandum of Understanding about the management of such litigation in the event that the House agrees to bring such an action on the basis of a Report which is not by the European Scrutiny Committee; and promising to review the matter in the light of experience should such circumstances occur and difficulties be caused by a failure to follow the MoU.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 27 November at 3 pm
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 11
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Thomas Docherty John Hemming Sir Roger Gale Mr David Nuttall Helen Goodman Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr James Gray Martin Vickers
1. Proposed amendment to Standing Order No. 33
Ordered, That correspondence between the Chair and the Leader of the House (letters from the Leader to the Chair dated 9 July 2013 and 26 September 2013 and letter from the Chair to the Leader dated 10 September 2013) be reported to the House for publication on the Internet.
2. Programming
The Committee considered the Chair’s draft Report (Programming).
The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Third Report of the Committee of Session 2013– 14, HC 767.
3. Review of the Backbench Business Committee
The Committee considered this matter.
4. Future programme
Resolved, That the Committee inquire into delegated legislation procedures.
Resolved, That the Committee inquire into the recommendations of the European Scrutiny Committee concerning European scrutiny in the House.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 11 December at 3 pm
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Wednesday 11 December 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr James Gray Martin Vickers Tom Greatrex
1. Committee of Selection and membership of General Committees
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Release of Ministerial statements
Resolved, That the Chair write to the Speaker to convey the Committee’s view that although the full text of statements to the House should not be released before the Minister sat down, it was not inappropriate for short excerpts from statements to be released once they had been covered in the Minister’s statement to the House.
3. Proposed amendment to Standing Order No. 33
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 18 December at 3 pm
Wednesday 18 December 2013
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin Mr David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Jacob Rees-Mogg John Hemming Martin Vickers
1. Government response to the Report on Private Members’ Bills, Second Report of Session 13–14
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 13
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Written Parliamentary questions
3. Ordered, That the following written evidence relating to Written Parliamentary questions be reported to the House for publication on the internet:
Education (P 50) Home Office (P 51) Justice (P 52) Defra (P 53) DCLG (P 54)
4. Future programme
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 8 January at 3 pm
Wednesday 8 January 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman Tom Greatrex Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Helen Goodman
European Scrutiny in the House of Commons
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 15 January at 3 pm
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Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 15
Wednesday 15 January 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin Mr David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Martin Vickers Sir Roger Gale
1. Report on private Members’ bills and other matters in the Committee’s work programme
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Release of Ministerial statements
Ordered, That the correspondence between the Committee and the Speaker on release of Ministerial statements (P 48, P62 and P63) be reported to the House for publication on the internet.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 29 January at 3 pm
Wednesday 29 January 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman John Hemming Nic Dakin Mr David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Jacob Rees-Mogg Yvonne Fovargue Martin Vickers
1. Written Parliamentary questions: monitoring report
The Committee considered the Chair’s draft Report (Monitoring written Parliamentary questions).
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The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fourth Report of the Committee of Session 2013–14, HC 1046.
2. Time limits on speeches in Grand Committees
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Delegated legislation
Dr Ruth Fox (Hansard Society), and Joel Blackwell (formerly of Hansard Society), gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 5 February at 3 pm
Wednesday 5 February 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman Mr James Gray Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty Mr David Nuttall Yvonne Fovargue Jacob Rees-Mogg
Private Members’ bills
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 12 February at 3 pm
Wednesday 12 February 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 17
Jenny Chapman Mr David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Tom Greatrex Martin Vickers John Hemming
1. Question and Answers Project
The Committee considered this matter.
2. European scrutiny in the House of Commons
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Using Twitter during evidence sessions
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 26 February at 3 pm
Wednesday 26 February 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman Mr David Nuttall Nic Dakin Jacob Rees-Mogg James Gray Martin Vickers John Hemming
The legislative process
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 5 March at 3 pm
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Wednesday 5 March 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman Sir Roger Gale Nic Dakin Jacob Rees-Mogg Thomas Docherty
1. Programming
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Private Members’ bills
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Delegated legislation
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 12 March at 3 pm
Wednesday 12 March 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman Sir Roger Gale Nic Dakin John Hemming Yvonne Fovargue Martin Vickers
1. Programming
The Committee considered this matter.
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 19
2. Legislative process
The Committee considered this matter.
3. European Scrutiny in the House of Commons
Kelvin Hopkins MP and Gavin Shuker MP, gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned till Monday 24 March at 4.45 pm
Monday 24 March 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin John Hemming Sir Roger Gale David Nuttall Mr James Gray
1. Private Members’ bills
The Committee considered the Chair’s draft Report (Private Members’ bills: Government response and revised proposals).
The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Fifth Report of the Committee of Session 2013– 14, HC 1171.
2. European Scrutiny in the House of Commons
Anne McIntosh MP, Martin Horwood MP and Penny Mordaunt MP, gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 2 April at 3 pm
Wednesday 2 April 2014
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Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin John Hemming Thomas Docherty David Nuttall Yvonne Fovargue Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr James Gray Martin Vickers
1. WPQ complaint from John Hemming
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Programming
The Committee considered the Chair’s draft Report (Programming: proposal for a trial of new arrangements for the tabling of amendments to bills at report stage).
The draft Report was agreed to; the Formal Minutes relating to the consideration of the Report are published in the Sixth Report of the Committee of Session 2013– 14, HC 1220.
3. Time limits in Grand Committees
The Committee considered this matter.
4. Legislative process/future programme
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 9 April at 3 pm
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman John Hemming Nic Dakin David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Jacob Rees-Mogg Yvonne Fovargue Martin Vickers Mr James Gray
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 21
1. Future programme
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Delegated Legislation
Baroness Thomas of Winchester, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, Lord Bichard, Christine Salmon-Percival (Clerk of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee) and Peter Milledge (Counsel to the Lords Committees), gave oral evidence.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 30 April at 3 pm
Wednesday 30 April 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Thomas Docherty John Hemming Yvonne Fovargue David Nuttall Sir Roger Gale Jacob Rees-Mogg Mr James Gray Martin Vickers Tom Greatrex
1. Delegated Legislation
The Committee considered this matter.
2. Business in Westminster Hall
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 7 May at 3 pm
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Wednesday 7 May 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Jenny Chapman John Hemming Nic Dakin David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Jacob Rees-Mogg Yvonne Fovargue Martin Vickers Sir Roger Gale
1. Accountability of executive agencies, NDPBs and non-Ministerial departments through Parliamentary questions
Resolved, That the Committee write to the Leader of the House with questions the Committee has on the matter.
2. Witnesses and Select Committee powers
The Committee considered this matter.
3. Motions “That the House sit in private”
Resolved, That the Committee write to the Leader of the House and the Shadow Leader seeking their views on the possibility of giving the Chair discretion to decline to allow the question “That the House sit in private” to be put.
4. E-petitions
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 14 May at 3 pm
Wednesday 14 May 2014
Members present:
Charles Walker, in the Chair
Nic Dakin David Nuttall Thomas Docherty Jacob Rees-Mogg John Hemming Martin Vickers
Procedure Committee: Formal Minutes 2013–14 23
1. Minority party participation in the Backbench Business Committee
Natascha Engle MP and Pete Wishart MP gave oral evidence.
2. E-petitions
The Committee considered this matter.
[Adjourned till Wednesday 21 May at 3 pm