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Ch15 Questions / RULES GOVERNING QUESTIONS / Form and content of questions / Question without notice similar to question on Notice Paper



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House of Representatives                                Ch 15                                                 p 547

 

Questions / RULES GOVERNING QUESTIONS / Form and content of questions

 

Question without notice similar to question on Notice Paper

It has been the general practice of the House that questions without notice which are substantially the same as questions already on the Notice Paper are not permissible. 1 It is not relevant that the questions on and without notice may be addressed to different Ministers. 2 However, in 1986 the Speaker ruled such a question acceptable, as it had been asked by the Member who had placed the original question on the Notice Paper. In that case the Speaker’s view was that the purpose of the rule was to prevent a Member asking a question in writing from being disadvantaged and the Member’s question being pre-empted, and logic and common sense dictated that the practice should not apply in respect of a Member’s own question. 3 The Procedure Committee subsequently recommended that past practice be continued, despite this precedent to the contrary. 4 A Member may withdraw a question in writing at any time by informing the Clerk of the House, and the withdrawal is effective immediately. As the withdrawal could take place as a preface to a question without notice, the previous restriction could be easily circumvented.



H.R. Deb. (30.8.2000) 19683-4, and see H.R. Deb. (23.3.2004) 26903.



H.R. Deb. (10.5.79) 2058; H.R. Deb. (25.5.88) 2975, 3047.



H.R. Deb. (25.9.86) 1433, 1484; VP 1985-87/1166-7.



PP 354 (1986) 36.