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HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

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division list in the Minutes of Proceedings and in the Journals,<br />

drawing attention to the discrepancy between the numbers<br />

announced and the names recorded.<br />

Insufficiency of Tellers<br />

7.20 If after three minutes from the time when the Bar is ordered to be<br />

cleared, one side has appointed Tellers, but no Teller, or only one Teller,<br />

has been appointed by the other side, a division cannot take place; 1 and<br />

the Lord on the Woolsack or in the Chair declares the Question decided<br />

in favour of the side which has appointed two Tellers. He uses the<br />

following words:<br />

“My Lords, Tellers for the Contents [Not-contents] have not been<br />

appointed pursuant to Standing Order No. 53. A division, therefore,<br />

cannot take place, and I declare that the Not-contents [Contents]<br />

have it.” 2<br />

7.21 If both sides fail to appoint Tellers, a division cannot take place and<br />

the Question is decided in accordance with SO 56 (see below). The<br />

Lord on the Woolsack or in the Chair informs the House:<br />

“My Lords, Tellers have not been appointed either for the Contents<br />

or for the Not-contents pursuant to Standing Order No. 53. A<br />

division, therefore, cannot take place, and in accordance with Standing<br />

Order No. 56 [… adding the appropriate formula which will be<br />

supplied by the Clerk at the Table].”<br />

Equality of votes<br />

7.22 If the Contents and Not-contents are equal in number 3 or if both<br />

sides fail to appoint tellers, the Question is decided on the principle<br />

contained in SO 56 that legislation is allowed to proceed in the form<br />

which is before the House unless there is a majority in favour of rejecting<br />

or amending it; and that other motions are rejected unless there is a<br />

majority in their favour. 4 If there is an equality of votes on a division, the<br />

Clerk delivers the result to the Lord on the Woolsack or in the Chair,<br />

1 SO 53(2).<br />

2 Procedure 2nd Rpt 1968–69.<br />

3 Procedure 1st Rpt 1962–63.<br />

4 SO 56 superseded the ancient rule, “Semper praesumitur pro negante”.<br />

116

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