HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

Pre-emption
8.69 If an amendment has been pre-empted by one previously agreed
to by the House, e.g. because the text proposed to be amended has
been left out of the bill, the amendment will not be called. The Lord on
the Woolsack or in the Chair alerts the House to this possibility, normally
when putting the text of the pre-empting amendment after it has been
moved, but sometimes (e.g. when the amendment is a key one which is
certain to be divided on) when calling the pre-empting amendment.
Grouping of amendments
8.70 In order to avoid repetition, related amendments are often
grouped and debated together. Lists of such groupings are prepared by
agreement between the members tabling the amendments and the
Government Whips’ Office, and are made available to the House.
Groupings are informal and not binding. A member may speak to a group
of amendments (not necessarily consecutive or in his own name) when
the first amendment in the group is called. Usually only the first
amendment in a group is moved (in the technical sense that there is a
Question specifically on it before the House) and the rest are at this
stage merely spoken to. The debate takes place on the first amendment
in the group, even though it may be a minor or paving amendment. But
each amendment in the group must be called, moved (if desired) and
disposed of separately at its place in the marshalled list. Proceedings on
later amendments in a group are often formal but further debate may
take place and an amendment previously debated may be moved at its
place in the bill. 1 When proceedings on later amendments in a group are
formal, the amendments are moved as follows:
“My Lords, I have already spoken to this amendment. I beg to move.”
8.71 If the first amendment in a group is agreed to, it does not follow
that the other amendments in the group will all be agreed to, unless they
are directly consequential. It is a matter for the House or committee to
judge in each case how the decision on the first amendment affects the
others.
1 Procedure 2nd Rpt 1976–77, 1st Rpt 1987–88.
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