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HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

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egularly used for select committee reports. It is also appropriate when a<br />

minister wishes to put down a neutral motion. Such motions are usually<br />

agreed to. Guidance about the wording of motions for papers applies to<br />

take-note motions.<br />

6.55 In certain circumstances ministers may put down motions to “take<br />

note with approval”. Such motions have been tabled in respect of the<br />

requirement, under section 5 of the European Communities<br />

(Amendment) Act 1993, that the Government should seek <strong>Parliament</strong>’s<br />

approval of its assessment of the medium term economic and budgetary<br />

position. 1 A motion to “take note with approval” has also been tabled by<br />

a minister in respect of a Joint Committee Report. 2<br />

Balloted debates<br />

6.56 One Thursday 3 in each month up to the Whitsun recess is set<br />

aside for two balloted debates. 4 These balloted debates are limited to<br />

2½ hours each, so that speeches are normally time-limited, and their<br />

subjects should be narrow enough to be debated within the time limit.<br />

These debates may be initiated only by backbench and Crossbench<br />

members and a member may initiate only one balloted debate per<br />

session.<br />

6.57 The choice of the two subjects is made by ballot, which is carried<br />

out by the Clerk of the <strong>Parliament</strong>s, two or three weeks before the<br />

debates are due to take place. A member wishing to initiate a balloted<br />

debate must give notice by tabling his motion in House of Lords Business<br />

under Motions for Balloted Debate. It is not in order to put down a<br />

motion for a balloted debate which is the same, or substantially the same,<br />

as a motion that is already entered in the Motions for Balloted Debate<br />

section of House of Lords Business. 5 It is assumed, unless notice to the<br />

contrary is given to the Table Office, that any member who has a motion<br />

down in House of Lords Business under Motions for Balloted Debate on<br />

1 See LJ (2007–08) 51.<br />

2 LJ (2006–07) 150.<br />

3 Procedure 6th Rpt 2005–06.<br />

4 Procedure 1st Rpt 1974. They were formerly called “short debates”.<br />

5 Procedure 5th Rpt 1974–75.<br />

106

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