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Ch16 Non-government business / MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE / Criteria for determining a matter in order / Ministerial responsibility



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House of Representatives                                Ch 16                                                 p 578

 

Non-government business / MATTERS OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE / Criteria for determining a matter in order

 

Ministerial responsibility

The Speaker of the House of Commons, in determining whether a matter of urgency is proper to be discussed, is expected to have regard to the extent to which the matter concerns the administrative responsibilities of Ministers or could come within the scope of ministerial action. 1 The Speaker of the House of Representatives will pay regard to these factors in determining whether a matter of public importance is in order. As a reflection of this, the standing order setting time limits for speeches, prior to 1972, presupposed that a matter would fall within areas of ministerial responsibility by providing that a Minister was given the same speaking time as the proposer in order to reply to the proposer’s speech. The standing order was subsequently amended to take account of those cases where a matter is proposed by a government Member, and now provides for equal speaking time to the Member next speaking after the proposer, whether it be a Minister or a Member of the Opposition. 2



May , 23rd edn, p. 362.



VP 1970-72/1018-20, 1375.