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House of Representatives                                Ch 9                                                 p 297

Motion dropped

A motion not seconded (if seconding is required) is dropped and no entry is made in the Votes and Proceedings. ¹ In certain circumstances, interruptions may occur before a motion is seconded or the question is proposed by the Chair, which would also result in the motion being dropped. These circumstances are the Speaker adjourning the House because of a count out or grave disorder. In these cases the matter may be revived by renewal of the notice of motion.

A motion may also be dropped if, for some reason, the time permitted by standing order 1 for a whole debate expires before the question has been proposed from the Chair. For example, a motion for suspension of standing orders has been dropped, the question not having been proposed to the House, because the time for the debate was taken up by proceedings resulting from a motion of dissent. ²

A motion to suspend standing orders moved during debate of another item of business is dropped if a closure of the question before the House is agreed to before the question on the suspension motion is proposed from the Chair. ³

In some cases a motion may also be dropped because of the automatic adjournment provision. If, for example, the mover, or the seconder, is speaking to a motion to suspend standing orders, and is interrupted by the automatic adjournment provisions, the motion is dropped, ⁴ unless the motion for the adjournment is immediately negatived in order to allow debate on the motion to continue.

If the mover or seconder of a business motion or amendment is still speaking to the motion or amendment at the time of interruption by the automatic adjournment provisions, the motion or amendment is not dropped. The motion or the motion and amendment are set down automatically as an order of the day for the next sitting. This action is pursuant to the provision of standing order 31(c) that ‘any business under discussion and not disposed of at the time of adjournment shall be set down on the Notice Paper for the next sitting’. In this context an item of business is treated as ‘under discussion’ even if the question has not yet been put from the Chair.

If the mover, or the seconder, of a private Member’s motion is still speaking to the motion at the expiry of the time available, the Member is given leave to continue his or her remarks by the Chair, and the motion is set down automatically as an order of the day for the next sitting. The motion is not dropped in these circumstances. ⁵

S.O. 116(a), e.g. second reading amendment not seconded, H.R. Deb. (13.10.2003) 21260.

VP 1998-2001/1936.

H.R. Deb. (12.8.2004) 32979-80.

H.R. Deb. (2.4.81) 1316. The motion to suspend standing orders moved immediately prior to the automatic adjournment was dropped.

VP 1987-89/978; VP 1996-98/1327.