COVID-19 proceedings: other proceedings
Under the temporary arrangements in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic MPs were able to participate remotely in the presentation of public petitions, emergency debates and to make points of order in the Chamber.
In addition to participating remotely in oral questions and ministerial statements, debates and legislation, MPs could participate remotely in:
- presentation of public petitions;
- emergency debates;
- points of order (with notice).
Presentation of public petitions
Public petitions (also known as paper petitions) are petitions presented in the Chamber by MPs. They can either be presented formally or informally. These petitions are listed in the Votes and Proceedings and in Hansard on the day they are presented.
Formal Presentation in the Chamber enables the MP presenting the petition to say one or two sentences about the petition before reading out the request that the petition makes to the House.
Once the MP has spoken, the title of the petition is read out by the Table Clerk.
The presentation of petitions in this way takes place towards the end of the day just before the adjournment debate. MPs could present a petition either remotely or physically.
Informal presentation of a petition would usually mean that an MP places a petition in the petition bag located behind the Speaker's Chair. Under the temporary arrangements, MPs did not need to do this. Instead, they could email their petition to the Journal Office who would keep a record of it.
Emergency debates
Under the temporary arrangements, MPs could apply for an emergency debate in the same way that they would normally do so by writing to the Speaker.
Find out more information about this process.
Applications could be made by MPs wishing to participate either remotely or physically and required the support of at least 40 other MPs. If an emergency debate was granted, MPs could apply to participate in the debate by emailing the Speaker's Office. In such cases, the Speaker would inform MPs of the relevant deadlines.
Points of order (with notice)
If an MP participating remotely wished to raise a point of order, they were asked to email the Speaker's Office to give notice before the sitting for that day commenced.
If the Speaker was satisfied that the point of order was urgent, genuine and significant and could not be dealt with in an alternative manner, arrangements would be made for the MP to be called virtually at an appropriate time in proceedings.
Points of order without notice could not be taken from MPs participating remotely.
