UK House of Commons

Rule History

Date Change Text
13 July 1988 Made

45A   Order in the House / Short speeches

Mr. Speaker may announce at the commencement of public business that, because of the number of Members wishing to speak in a debate on one of the matters specified in paragraph (2) of this order, he will call Members either between six o'clock and ten minutes before eight o'clock or between seven o'clock and ten minutes before nine o'clock on Monday to Thursday sittings, and between half-past eleven o'clock and one o'clock on Friday sittings, to speak for not more than ten minutes; and whenever Mr. Speaker has made such an announcement he may, between those hours, direct any Member who has spoken for ten minutes in such a debate to resume his seat forthwith.

This order shall apply to debates on:

(a) the second reading of public bills;

(b) matters selected under paragraph (2) of Standing Order No. 13 (Arrangement of public business) for consideration on allotted opposition days;

(c) motions in the name of a Minister of the Crown; and

(d) motions for an address in answer to Her Majesty's Speech.

24 November 1994 Amended

45A   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at the commencement of public business that, because of the number of Members wishing to speak in a debate on one of the matters specified in paragraph (2) of this order, she will call Members either between six o'clock and ten minutes before eight o'clock or between seven o'clock and ten minutes before nine o'clock on Monday to Thursday sittings, and between half-past eleven o'clock and one o'clock on Friday sittings, to speak for not more than ten minutes; and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement she may, between those hours, direct any Member who has spoken for ten minutes in such a debate to resume his seat forthwith.

This order shall apply to debates on:

(a) the second reading of public bills;

(b) matters selected under paragraph (2) of Standing Order No. 13 (Arrangement of public business) for consideration on allotted opposition days;

(c) motions in the name of a Minister of the Crown; and

(d) motions for an address in answer to Her Majesty's Speech.

02 November 1995 Amended

45A   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at the commencement of proceedings on any motion or order of the day relating to public business that she intends to call Members to speak for not more than ten minutes in the debate thereon, or between certain hours during that debate, and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement she may direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for ten minutes to resume his seat forthwith.

04 June 1998 Amended

47   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at or before the commencement of proceedings on any motion or order of the day relating to public business that she intends to call Members to speak in the debate thereon, or between certain hours during that debate, for no longer than any period she may specify (which shall not be less than eight minutes), and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement she may direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith. Provided that, in calculating that period, the Speaker may disregard the time taken by interventions.

22 March 2001 Amended

47   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at or before the commencement of proceedings on any motion or order of the day relating to public business that he intends to call Members to speak in the debate thereon, or between certain hours during that debate, for no longer than any period he may specify (which shall not be less than eight minutes), and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement he may direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith. Provided that, in calculating that period, the Speaker may disregard the time taken by interventions.

29 October 2002 Amended

47   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at or before the commencement of proceedings on any motion or order of the day relating to public business that he intends to call Members to speak in the debate thereon, or between certain hours during that debate, for no longer than any period he may specify (which shall not be less than eight minutes), and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement he shall, subject to paragraph (2), direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

In relation to any speech, the Speaker shall add to any period specified in paragraph (1) of this order-

(a) one minute if one intervention is accepted, plus the time taken by that intervention;

(b) two minutes if two or more interventions are accepted, plus the time taken by the first two such interventions.

26 October 2004 Amended

47   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at or before the commencement of proceedings on any motion or order of the day relating to public business that he intends to call Members to speak in the debate thereon, or at certain times during that debate, for no longer than any period he may specify (which shall not be less than eight minutes), and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement he shall, subject to paragraph (2), direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

In relation to any speech, the Speaker shall add to any period specified in paragraph (1) of this order-

(a) one minute if one intervention is accepted, plus the time taken by that intervention;

(b) two minutes if two or more interventions are accepted, plus the time taken by the first two such interventions.

01 November 2006 Amended

47   Order in the House / Short speeches

The Speaker may announce at or before the commencement of proceedings on any motion or order of the day relating to public business that he intends to call Members to speak in the debate thereon, or at certain times during that debate, for no longer than any period he may specify (which shall not be less than eight minutes), and whenever the Speaker has made such an announcement he shall, subject to paragraph (2), direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

In relation to any speech, the Speaker shall add to any period specified in paragraph (1) of this order-

(a) one minute if one intervention is accepted, plus the time taken by that intervention;

(b) two minutes if two or more interventions are accepted, plus the time taken by the first two such interventions.

The Speaker may call Members between certain hours to speak for a specified maximum time (not being less than three minutes) and during this time the reference to eight minutes in paragraph (1) and the provisions of paragraph (2) shall not apply.

12 November 2008 Amended

47   Order in the House / Time limits on speeches

The Speaker may announce that he intends to call Members to speak in a debate, or at certain times during that debate, for no longer than any period he may specify, and he may at any time make subsequent announcements varying the terms of an announcement under this paragraph.

Whenever the Speaker has made an announcement under paragraph (1), he may, subject to paragraph (4), direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

The Speaker may announce, at or before the commencement of any debate (other than a topical debate) in respect of which he has made or intends to make an announcement under paragraph (1) of this order, that speeches by a Minister of the Crown, Members speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, and not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party shall be limited to twenty minutes and he may direct any such Member who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

In relation to any speech, the Speaker shall add to any period specified-

(a) under paragraph (1) of this order-

(i) one minute if one intervention is accepted, plus the time taken by that intervention;

(ii) two minutes if two or more interventions are accepted, plus the time taken by the first two such interventions;

(b) under paragraph (3) of this order, one minute for each intervention accepted up to a maximum of fifteen minutes.

15 June 2010 Amended

47   Order in the House / Time limits on speeches

The Speaker may announce that he intends to call Members to speak in a debate, or at certain times during that debate, for no longer than any period he may specify, and he may at any time make subsequent announcements varying the terms of an announcement under this paragraph.

Whenever the Speaker has made an announcement under paragraph (1), he may, subject to paragraph (5), direct any Member (other than a Minister of the Crown, a Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, or not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party) who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

The Speaker may announce, at or before the commencement of any debate (other than a topical debate) in respect of which he has made or intends to make an announcement under paragraph (1) of this order, that speeches by a Minister of the Crown, Members speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, and not more than one Member nominated by the leader of the second largest opposition party shall be limited to twenty minutes and he may direct any such Member who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

The Speaker may announce, at or before the commencement of a topical debate in respect of which he has made or intends to make an announcement under paragraph (1) of this order, that speeches by a Minister of the Crown and any Member speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition shall be limited to ten minutes and he may direct any such Member who has spoken for that period to resume his seat forthwith.

In relation to any speech, the Speaker shall add to any period specified-

(a) under paragraph (1) of this order-

(i) one minute if one intervention is accepted, plus the time taken by that intervention;

(ii) two minutes if two or more interventions are accepted, plus the time taken by the first two such interventions;

(b) under paragraph (3) or (4) of this order, one minute for each intervention accepted up to a maximum of fifteen minutes.