First and Second Reading

97 Chairman of Committees to authorise deposit of petitions for late bills (HC 2A)

(1) Where a bill has not been deposited in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 38 (Deposit of printed copies of bills in Parliament Office), the Chairman of Committees may grant leave (to be signified by endorsement on the petition for the bill) for the deposit thereof in the office of the Clerk of the Parliaments.

(2) Nothing in this order shall exonerate the petitioners from the effect of their failure to comply with the requirements of Standing Order 38 (Deposit of printed copies of bills in Parliament Office).

98 First reading of bills (HC 163)

(1) A private bill originating in this House shall be read a first time on—
       (a) 22nd January or, if the House is not sitting on that day, the first sitting day after that, or
       (b) the day given by paragraph (2),
whichever is the later.

(2) The day given by this paragraph is—
       (a) the day on which there is laid on the table a certificate from the Examiner that standing orders have been 
            complied with in respect of the bill, or
       (b) the day on which there is presented to the House a report from the Standing Orders Committee that 
            standing orders have been complied with in respect of the bill, or
       (c) the day on which the House, after considering a report from the Standing Orders Committee that standing 
            orders ought to be dispensed with in respect of the bill, agrees that the bill be allowed to proceed.

(3) A private bill brought from the House of Commons shall be read a first time forthwith.

98A Reports concerning human rights (HC 169A)

In the case of a private bill originating in this House or brought from  the  House  of  Commons,  a  report  from a minister of the Crown on the statement of opinion required by Standing Order 38(3) shall be presented to the House (by being deposited in the Office of the Clerk of the Parliaments) not later than the second sitting day after that on which the bill was read a first  time.

99 Second reading of bills (HC 170)

(1) The day for which a private bill originating in this House is first set down for second reading shall not be earlier than the second day on which the House sits for public business after the day of the first reading thereof.

(2) The day for which a private bill brought from the House of Commons is first set down for second reading shall not be earlier than—
       (a) the day on which there is laid on the table a certificate from the Examiner that such standing orders as 
            have not been previously inquired into have been complied with in respect of the bill or that no further 
            standing orders are applicable to the bill; or
       (b) the day on which there is presented to the House a report from the Standing Orders Committee that such 
            standing orders as aforesaid have  been so complied with; or
       (c) the day on which the House, after considering a report from the Standing Orders Committee that standing 
            orders ought to be dispensed with in respect of the bill, agrees that the bill be allowed to proceed.

100 Reference of bills to Examiners after second reading

A private bill which is referred to the Examiners after second reading shall not be committed  until—
       (a) the Examiner has certified that any standing orders not previously inquired into are not applicable thereto, 
            or that any such standing orders as may be applicable have been complied with, or
       (b) the standing orders not having been complied with, the Standing Orders Committee have reported that 
            such standing orders should be  dispensed with, and the House has agreed to such report.