Plenary, 28 Jan 2004
Meeting date: Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Official Report
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Point of Order
Ms Leckie gave me notice of a point of order.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Rule 17.2.1 of standing orders, on the suspension of standing orders, states:
"The Parliament may, on the motion of any member or of the Parliamentary Bureau, suspend any of these Rules for the purpose of a meeting of the Parliament".
I wish to move such a motion to suspend standing orders in order to hear a debate on whether it is appropriate, or an affront to the Parliament, to welcome to the Parliament Prince Turki Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, a totalitarian regime. That regime, according even to the United States Department of State, detains women for such things as riding in taxis with unrelated men and appearing with their heads uncovered. It sometimes detains women for weeks without informing their families; it also beheads people for adultery. I move that we debate whether we should welcome the representative of that regime into this Parliament and into our public gallery, or whether we regard that as an affront and do not welcome him.
You have made your point, which was political. Your proposal was about changing the business programme, and I do not judge the rule to be appropriate.
I beg your pardon, Presiding Officer, but I have already quoted from rule 17.2.1. I will read it out in full:
"The Parliament may, on the motion of any member"—
and this is the motion that I am moving—
"suspend any of these Rules for the purpose of a meeting of the Parliament or of a committee or sub-committee except any Rule which makes provision which the Act requires to be made by standing orders or which reflects a provision of the Act. Such a suspension shall apply only for the purposes of that meeting or of part of that meeting."
Moving such a motion is not just the role of the Parliamentary Bureau; any member may move such a motion.
This is new territory for us, so I will consult for a couple of minutes.
I am advised firmly that the rule is about changing procedures, whereas the appropriate way to do what you ask is by changing the business programme. We will proceed. You have made your point on the record.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I wish the Parliament to take a view. My reading of the standing orders is that the matter should be put to the vote.
Yes, you have made your point and laboured it. I am working on good advice here and I am attempting to meet your needs. I am advised firmly that you are raising this without notice, and it is not proper procedure. We will now proceed.
I did inform—
Order. I have made my judgment. I have given you three cuts at it.