HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

Leave of the House
3.19 The leave of the House is required before certain procedures or
items of business can proceed. Similar rules apply in Committees of the
whole House.
3.20 In certain cases where leave is sought, it is granted by majority and
the objection of a single member of the House is not sufficient to
withhold leave. Leave is granted by majority:
(a) to ask questions;
(b) to make ministerial or personal statements;
(c) to take business not on the order paper of which notice is not
required;
(d) to speak more than once to a motion.
3.21 In other cases leave must be unanimous, notably in those cases
where, if leave were granted, the House or committee would be
deprived of having a Question put. 1 Leave is withheld if a single member
of the House objects to:
(a) withdrawal of an amendment or a motion which is before the
House;
(b) moving motions, amendments and clauses en bloc (see paragraph
3.51);
(c) moving a motion that the order of commitment or recommitment
of a bill be discharged;
(d) moving a motion or asking a question when the mover or
questioner is absent, unless the authority of the member named
on the order paper has been given;
(e) postponing business without notice till later the same day. 2
3.22 Leave is usually obtained without putting the Question; but if
necessary, the Question “that leave be given” could be divided upon in a
case where leave may be granted by a majority decision. However, this
would be exceptional, as a member who requests leave usually tests the
feeling of the House and, if there is opposition to leave being granted, the
request is generally withdrawn.
1 SO 31.
2 SO 42(3).
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