HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

the day of the ballot is willing and able to move his motion on the day
appointed.
6.58 The purpose of these debates is to provide a forum for discussion
rather than questions which the House may decide on a division. They
always take place on motions for papers, which should be couched in
neutral terms, so as not to provoke a challenge.
6.59 When a motion has been set down for a particular day, it may be
amended in form but not in substance: that is to say, a member who has
been successful in the ballot may not substitute another subject for that
originally proposed.
Time-limited debates 1
6.60 The House may limit debates to a specific number of hours. A
business of the House motion in the name of the Leader of the House
(of which notice is required) must be moved before the start of the
debate if a time limit is to be applied. Within the overall limit, the amount
of time allotted to particular speakers is calculated in advance and stated
on the speakers’ list.
6.61 Speaking time is allocated equally between all the speakers on the
speakers’ list, subject to a guaranteed minimum number of minutes being
given to the mover of the debate, the two official opposition spokesmen
and the minister replying. The table below shows these guaranteed
minimum allocations of time for debates of various lengths, in minutes.
LENGTH OF DEBA TE
4 hrs or over 2 hrs or over
Less than 2
hrs
Mover 20 15 12
Opposition spokesmen 12 10 8
Minister replying 25 20 15
6.62 For speaking time in Questions for Short Debate, see paragraph
6.44.
1 Procedure 2nd Rpt 1983–84; 2nd Rpt 1990–91; 3rd Rpt 1992–93.
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