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House of Representatives                                Ch 10                                                 p 362

‘6 months’ amendment

A ‘ 6 months’ amendment ¹ is in the form ‘That the word ‘‘now’’ be omitted from, and the words “this day 6 months” be added to the question’. ² No amendment may be moved to this amendment. The question proposed upon such an amendment is ‘That the word proposed to be omitted stand part of the question’, and if this question is decided in the affirmative, the amendment is defeated and the question on the second reading is then restated. Debate may then continue on the motion for the second reading. The acceptance by the House of such an amendment would mean that the bill has been finally disposed of. ³ This form of amendment is rarely used as, from a debating and political viewpoint, it suffers by comparison with a reasoned amendment. On the last occasion it was moved on the motion for the second reading, the mover proposed to add ‘this day six months in order that the Government may confer . . .’ ⁴ Although the amendment was permitted by the Chair, the inclusion of the additional words was strictly out of order.

S.O. 146; VP 1945-46/419. This form of amendment is identical to the form of a third reading amendment.

This procedure originated as a way of avoiding the direct negative, the assumption being that within the time specified the session would be over and the bill would lapse. Josef Redlich, The procedure of the House of Commons , vol. III, Archibald Constable, London, 1908, p. 89.

S.O. 146.

VP 1961/51.