Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill: Section 35 Power

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Tuesday 17th January 2023 Commons Chamber

Application for emergency debate (Standing Order No. 24)

[Mr Speaker]

I call Stephen Flynn to make an application for leave to propose a debate on a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration under the terms of Standing Order No. 24. The hon. Member has three minutes in which to make such an application.

[Stephen Flynn (Aberdeen South) (SNP)]

I rise to propose that the House should debate the matter of the unprecedented and unjustifiable decision of this United Kingdom Government to overturn the views and legislative programme of the democratically elected Members of Scotland’s national Parliament in Holyrood. The arguments on this matter are lengthy. Some of them have just been covered, and many more will hopefully be covered in a debate to come, should you so seek to grant it, Mr Speaker, and I am not seeking to be presumptuous in that regard. Should you seek to grant it, I will endeavour to cover those many points and to highlight to this Chamber and to the public the democratic shortfall that exists at the heart of this supposed Union of equals.

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member asks leave to propose a debate on the specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration—namely, that this House has considered the Government’s decision to use section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 with regard to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

I have listened carefully to the application of the hon. Member, and I am satisfied that the matter raised is proper to be discussed under Standing Order No. 24. Has the hon. Member the leave of the House?

Application agreed to.

[Mr Speaker]

The Member has obtained the leave of the House. The debate will be held today immediately after the ten-minute rule Bill. The debate will last two hours and will arise on the motion that the House has considered the specific matter set out in the hon. Member’s application. I remind the House that Standing Order No. 24 provides for the additional time taken by this debate to be added at the end of proceedings on the Online Safety Bill.