Thursday, 9 March 2023

Rulings from the Chair

Motions of urgent public importance

The PRESIDENT (09:34): I have received a letter from Ms Crozier seeking to propose a matter of urgent public importance. Under standing order 6.09(1) a member must provide notice in writing to the President of a definite matter of urgent public importance at least 2 hours before the President takes the chair. The notice must set out the subject matter desired to be discussed and a statement setting out the grounds considered to justify its urgent consideration. In this case I have not been given 2 hours to consider the matter which Ms Crozier raises. Standing orders do allow the President to waive the requirement if the President is satisfied that unusual and extreme circumstances did not permit the matter to be submitted 2 hours before taking the chair. I am not convinced that unusual and extreme circumstances apply here. A motion of urgent public importance requires the house to set aside its planned business in order to deal with the urgent issue. It requires a very high threshold. For that reason I will take time to consider the written submission of Ms Crozier, and I will come back to the house.