COVID-19 proceedings: Ministerial statements

Often the government does not announce that it is going to make an oral statement until the day itself. However, under the temporary arrangements, the government was required to give the same notice as MPs seeking to ask an urgent question.

Under the temporary arrangements, notice should be given by:

• 1pm on the previous day for ministerial statements on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays;
• 9am on Mondays for ministerial statements on the same Monday.

Select committee statements were determined by the Backbench Business Committee and were usually announced in the preceding week to their taking place.

Notice to speak

Any MP who wished to speak in a debate on a ministerial statement was required to apply online to do so in advance.

Applications to speak in the debate on a ministerial statement needed to be made before 11.30am on Mondays for the same day, or 3.30pm for Tuesdays to Thursdays.

The Speaker's Office ran a shuffle to produce a list of MPs from which they organised a call list. Not all MPs who came out in the shuffle would necessarily appear on the call list.

Participating in a statement

Only MPs who were on the call list would be able to participate in the debate on a ministerial statement. MPs who intended to be physically in the Chamber needed to be present from the beginning of the statement. MPs participating virtually needed to join the conference call in good time before the statement was due to begin.

All MPs, whether attending physically or remotely, were required to wait to be called by the Speaker. Those who were physically in the Chamber rose in their place to make their contribution when they are called, as is usual. The broadcasting team unmuted the microphones of MPs who were participating remotely when they were called to speak.

If there were technological problems which prevented an MP from participating, they could be called to speak later in the debate.