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Title

Ch7 The parliamentary calendar / SITTING AND NON- SITTING PERIODS / Special reassemblies of the House

Database

House Practice

Date

01-05-2005

Source

House of Reps

Parl No.

41

Chapter

The parliamentary calendar

Chapter No.

Chapter 07

Page

235

Section No.

 

System Id

procedural/practcer/chapter07.37.doc


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Ch7 The parliamentary calendar / SITTING AND NON- SITTING PERIODS / Special reassemblies of the House



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House of Representatives                                Ch 7                                                 p 235

 

The parliamentary calendar / SITTING AND NON-SITTING PERIODS

 

Special reassemblies of the House

On eight occasions the House has reassembled on a day other than that specified in the special adjournment motion. On 20 June 1940 the House, having adjourned until 2 July 1940, reassembled to consider national security legislation. 1 On 9 July 1975 the House reassembled to discuss the Government’s overseas loan negotiations, having adjourned until 19 August 1975. 2 On 21 and 22 January 1991 the House reassembled to consider the Gulf War, having adjourned until 12 February 1991. 3 On the other occasions the House reassembled prior to the date specified in the special adjournment motion to consider Senate amendments and requests to bills. 4 On each of these occasions the adjournment resolution enabled the Speaker to set an earlier day of meeting. Note that standing order 30(b) now gives standing authorisation for the Speaker when the House is not sitting to set an alternative day or hour for the next meeting.

On other occasions the House, having adjourned until a date and hour to be fixed by the Speaker, has reassembled prematurely for special reasons. These occasions have been the presentation of an Address to the Prince of Wales, 5 consideration of a constitutional problem relating to the suggested marriage of King Edward VIII, 6 consideration of the declaration of a state of war with Japan, Finland, Hungary and Rumania, 7 consideration of the conflict in Korea 8 and consideration of Senate amendments to bills. 9

On 7 February 1942 the Speaker notified Members that the House would meet on 11 March 1942. On 13 February a telegram was sent to all Members changing the date of meeting to 20 February, on which day the House met and went into a secret joint meeting with the Senate to discuss the current war situation. 10

On 31 May 1972 the House adjourned until a date and hour to be fixed and all Members were advised on 12 July that the House would meet on 15 August. Because of a dispute in the oil industry, the Government requested the Speaker to put all Members on ‘provisional notice’ for a meeting on 4 August. All Members were advised on 2 August confirming the meeting and, after settlement of the dispute, further advice was sent on 3 August informing Members that the meeting was not to be held.

A special adjournment motion may specify more than one date—for example, ‘That the House: (1) at its rising, adjourn until 2 January 1992 . . . and (2) at its rising on 2 January, adjourn until Tuesday, 25 February 1992 . . .’. 11



VP 1940/97, 99.



VP 1974-75/81l, 813; H.R. Deb. (9.7.75) 3556.



 VP 1990-92/ 478, 481.



 VP 1985-87/ 334, 337; VP 1987-89/ 987, 989; 1320, 1323; VP 1990-92/ 109, 111; 1231, 1249, 1251.



VP 1920-21/187.



VP 1934-37/801; H.R. Deb. (9.12.36) 2884.



VP 1940-43/267; H.R. Deb. (16.12.41) 1068.



VP 1950-51/177; H.R. Deb. (6.7.50) 4836.



VP 1959-60/314; VP 1974-75/143-9; H.R. Deb. (23.8.74) 1126; VP 1987-89/1682, 1695.



VP 1940-43/275.



 VP 1990-92/1231 (the one day meeting was for the occasion of an address to both Houses by the President of the United States of America).