MPs have approved a motion that will allow them to participate in questions (including PMQs), urgent questions and ministerial statements via video link.
The motion, which was approved without a vote, will allow members to participate either virtually or physically in the Chamber.
A maximum of 50 MPs will be able to be present in the Chamber at any one time to comply with social distancing guidelines.
A maximum of 120 MPs will be able to take part remotely over the course of any “hybrid proceedings”, which will constitute the first two hours of each sitting.
Under the terms of the motion, the House will continue to meet at its usual sitting times, but only on Mondays (from 2.30pm), Tuesdays and Wednesdays (both from 11.30am).
The first item of Commons business covered by these proceedings will be questions to the Secretary of State for Wales (from 11.30am) followed by Prime Minister’s Questions (from noon).
With hybrid proceedings covering questions, urgent questions and statements, all other Chamber proceedings will be entirely physical. A motion to extend hybrid proceedings to cover other business (eg legislation) is expected to appear on today’s Order Paper.
Karen said,
“As Chair of the Procedure Committee I am pleased that the motion has been approved to allow MPs to participate in questions either in the Chamber, respecting social distancing rules, or remotely.”
Ends
Explanatory notes
Selection, tabling and order of questions
- The Speaker will announce the sequence of the day’s hybrid proceedings, although generally departmental questions will come first, followed by urgent questions and ministerial statements. The sequence will be confirmed by 9.00am on Mondays and 3.00pm on the day before Tuesday and Wednesday proceedings. It will also be available on the day’s Order Paper, available here.
- Members will submit their question through the online Member Hub, with the deadline for submitting questions being 12.30pm on the same day a week before (eg questions for Monday will need to be submitted by 12.30pm on the Monday of the week before. For the w/b 20th April the deadlines will be a later as the motion is being tabled on a Tuesday, therefore the deadline for questions on Tuesday 28th April will be 12.30pm on Wednesday 22nd April). These guidelines apply both to Members participating physically and Members participating remotely.
- The “shuffle” will take place as soon after the 12.30pm deadline as possible and will produce a list of Members whose substantive questions are to be taken, as well as a list of Members who may be invited to ask supplementary questions. Members will then be contacted as soon as possible.
Behaviour in the chamber
- Points of order, interventions, divisions and motions to sit in private will be prohibited during hybrid proceedings. If the Speaker rises to say “Order”, the video and audio feed of Members participating remotely will be cut.
- Chamber rules and courtesies apply to all Members in whichever form they are participating, for example in terms of following the usual dress code.
- Members participating physically will rise in their place as usual to ask a question, however the practice of “bobbing” to catch the Speaker’s eye will not be permitted. Signs are in the Chamber to ensure social distancing is practiced, and Members should not approach the Speaker’s chair, the Clerk at the Table or the Serjeant-at-Arms, but should make contact via email.
Technology
- Members who are on the list to ask questions will be contacted by the Admin team and provided with advice on how to participate. Before the session, Members participating remotely will received a test call from the Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit.
- Virtual participation will take place via Zoom. The National Cyber Security Centre has advised that, for public Parliamentary proceedings, it considers the use of Zoom appropriate, if the installation and the use of the service is carefully managed.
- In case of technological problems which prevent remote-participating Members from asking their question, they can be called later in proceedings.
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