Mr Speaker
The House has agreed that the Speaker should make a statement at the beginning of each Session about the duties and responsibilities of hon. Members.
I begin by reminding Members of their duty to observe the code of conduct agreed by the House and uphold the seven principles of public life that underpin it: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. That duty is owed both to the House and to those who elect us to our places here. Every member of the public has a right to expect that his or her Member of Parliament will exhibit the highest level of probity and integrity.
The privilege of freedom of speech that we enjoy in our proceedings here is there to ensure that our constituents are free to come to us and seek our assistance, no matter what the circumstances, and can be represented by us without fear or favour. It is a privilege that belongs to Members of Parliament only in their roles as representatives —as private individuals they are equal under the law with all those they represent. Freedom of speech is at the heart of what we do here for our constituents and allows us to conduct our business without fear of outside interference. It is an obligation on all Members to exercise that privilege responsibly.
In our debates and other proceedings, we should seek to ensure that every Member is heard courteously, regardless of the views that he or she is expressing. Every member of the public, including the staff of this House upon whom we rely, has a right to expect that Members of Parliament will behave with civility and in the best traditions of fairness.
Parliament should be an institution open to those it represents. We should seek to explain its work to those who elect us and to make them welcome here. But we must also bear in mind that the security of this building and those who work and visit here depends upon all of us. We all have a duty to be vigilant and to respect the rules that regulate access to this place for ourselves and for our visitors.
Before moving to the first business of the new Session, I would like to express my very best wishes for the 2014-15 Session of Parliament to all hon. Members and all those who work here.
I must inform the House that Mr Stephen Dorrell has written to me, giving notice of his wish to resign from the Chair of the Health Committee. I therefore declare the Chair vacant. In thanking the right hon. Member for Charnwood (Mr Dorrell) for the skill and diligence with which he has discharged his obligations to the House as Chair of the Committee, I can inform Members that the following will be the arrangements for electing a new Chair of the Health Committee. Nominations should be submitted in the Lower Table Office by 5 pm on Tuesday 17 June. Only Members of the Conservative party may be candidates in this election. If there is more than one candidate, the ballot will take place on Wednesday 18 June from 10 am to 1 pm in a Committee Room to be announced.
I must also announce the arrangements for the election of the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee for the new Session. Nominations for that post should be submitted in the Lower Table Office between 10 am and 5 pm on Tuesday 10 June. If there is more than one candidate, the ballot will be held in a Committee Room from 10 am to 1 pm on Wednesday 11 June. Only Members who do not belong to a party represented in Her Majesty’s Government may be candidates in this election. Briefing notes with more details about both of these elections will be made available to Members and published on the intranet.
Outlawries Bill
A Bill for the more effectual preventing Clandestine Outlawries was read the First time, and ordered to be read a Second time.