Oral Answers to Questions

William Bain Excerpts

Thursday 22nd January 2015 Commons Chamber

The Leader of the House was asked—

[Mr William Bain (Glasgow North East) (Lab)]

1. If he will review the effectiveness of the procedure for tabling money resolutions for private Members’ Bills; and if he will make a statement.

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

5. If he will review the effectiveness of the procedure for tabling money resolutions for private Members’ Bills; and if he will make a statement.

[The First Secretary of State and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr William Hague)]

It is the responsibility of the Member in charge of the Bill to make a request to the Government to table any money or Ways and Means motion that may be required in respect of private Members’ Bills that have had a Second Reading. It is the usual but not invariable practice of the Government to accede to such requests.

[Mr Bain]

On Monday, the House adjourned after barely three hours of Government business, so is it not an outrage that the Leader of the House cannot find time to bring to the House important money resolutions on private Members’ Bills, such as that of the hon. Member for St Ives (Andrew George), which would exempt thousands of disabled people from the terrible effects of the Government’s hated bedroom tax?

[Mr Hague]

On the question of Monday’s business, it is right to allocate a full day of debate on the Floor of the House when all stages of a Bill are being considered. It is up to the House if it does not use the full time, but there would be considerable objections if we did not allocate a full day for all stages of a Bill. As I have explained to the House before, the problem with the money resolutions on the Affordable Homes Bill and the European Union (Referendum) Bill is not one of time; there has been no agreement in the coalition about those money resolutions, and that remains the case.