Business of the House

Graeme Morrice Excerpts

Thursday 17th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Sir George Young]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising the matter, and I think I have written to her on the subject. The Procedure Committee will shortly start an inquiry into the parliamentary calendar, including the problem that she outlines of private Members’ Bills taking place on a Friday, and it will consider other options. We have tried to give the House certainty by agreeing, early in the Session, the dates of the 13 sitting days up to June this year. If a private Member’s Bill has a lot of support, it is still possible to get it through on a Friday.

[Graeme Morrice (Livingston) (Lab)]

May I press the Leader of the House further on the Scotland Bill? Will he confirm that its Committee stage will not commence until after the Scottish Parliament has agreed the legislative consent motion? Does he accept that, in order to scrutinise the Bill properly, it is appropriate that the express views of the Scottish Parliament are known?

[Sir George Young]

I understand the hon. Gentleman’s interest in the Bill. As I have said, it will be perfectly possible for the Committee stage of the Bill to consider amendments in the light of the LCM. It has never been the policy of the House to put a Bill on hold while the LCM is addressed. I can, however, commit myself to giving the House the opportunity to amend the Bill in Committee after the LCM has been processed.