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Order Paper

The Order Paper is the official daily agenda of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom Parliament, published for each sitting day to outline the scheduled proceedings, including oral questions, debates, statements, and legislative business.^[1]^[2] It serves as the primary business paper, structured in two main parts: one detailing future business and provisional forecasts, and the other specifying the order of business for the current day, ensuring members are informed of the timetable and priorities set by the government and opposition.^[3] This document facilitates orderly conduct in the chamber, with items such as urgent questions or amendments potentially altering the sequence, though the Speaker maintains authority over procedural adherence.^[1] In the Westminster parliamentary system, the Order Paper exemplifies procedural transparency, enabling public and parliamentary scrutiny of daily agendas, and is accessible via official publications, apps, and print, reflecting the House's commitment to accessible governance.^[1]^[2] Similar mechanisms exist in other legislatures influenced by Westminster traditions, such as the Canadian House of Commons, where it lists items for consideration alongside a notice paper for forthcoming business.^[4]

Definition and Purpose

Definition

The Order Paper is a formal daily publication in legislatures following the Westminster parliamentary model, serving as the official agenda that outlines the sequence of business for each sitting day.^[1]^[4] It specifies the order in which proceedings will occur, including oral questions to ministers, debates on motions, readings of bills, and presentations of committee reports.^[5]^[6] This document ensures predictable and structured conduct of parliamentary sessions by prioritizing government business while allocating time for opposition and private members' items as per standing orders.^[2]^[7] Distinct from the Notice Paper, which lists items proposed for future consideration requiring advance tabling, the Order Paper compiles only those matters confirmed for the current day's proceedings, reflecting decisions by the Speaker or business managers.^[4]^[6]

Primary Functions

The Order Paper functions primarily as the official daily agenda for parliamentary sittings in Westminster-style legislatures, sequencing the business to ensure orderly progression of proceedings. It lists items such as oral questions, motions, bills at various readings, committee reports, and government orders, dictating the order in which they are addressed to allocate time efficiently for debates, votes, and other activities. This structure prevents ad hoc interruptions by prioritizing items based on standing orders, notices, and procedural rules, thereby directing focus toward key legislative and oversight matters.^[8]^[4]^[9] By providing this predetermined sequence, the Order Paper promotes deliberate and causal prioritization of public business, drawing from verified submissions like member notices and government initiatives rather than spontaneous changes. This enables the legislature to address substantive policy issues in a systematic manner, with time limits often applied to individual items to maintain momentum across the session.^[5]^[10] Advance distribution of the Order Paper—typically published the day before or early in the morning of sittings—allows members to review and prepare for specific agenda items, including drafting interventions or gathering supporting materials aligned with standing orders. This preparation function enhances the quality of deliberations, as legislators can anticipate the scope and timing of discussions without reliance on last-minute announcements.^[11]^[12] In addition, the Order Paper bolsters accountability mechanisms by scheduling slots for government responses to parliamentary questions, motions, and inquiries, with outcomes recorded in official Hansard transcripts and procedural logs for public verification. This inclusion ensures executive actions are scrutinized within the formal timetable, linking agenda items to ongoing oversight of policy implementation.^[1]^[4]

Historical Development

Origins in British Parliamentary Tradition

The formalized Order Paper in the British House of Commons emerged during the 19th century as parliamentary business expanded significantly following the Reform Act 1832, which redistributed seats from pocket boroughs to growing urban centers and extended the franchise to approximately 650,000 middle-class male voters, thereby increasing legislative demands and necessitating structured agendas to maintain order amid rising session lengths and member numbers.^[13] Prior to these reforms, proceedings often relied on ad hoc motions for leave to introduce bills or debates, leading to frequent disruptions as members vied for precedence without a predefined sequence, a practice that proved increasingly untenable as the House's workload grew from handling sporadic royal initiatives to managing a surge in public petitions and proposed legislation.^[14] This evolution built on Speaker-led traditions dating back centuries, where the Speaker announced items based on precedent and House resolutions, but the mid-19th century saw a shift toward printed daily papers listing "orders of the day"—specific business mandated for particular sittings—to address procedural chaos and prioritize government measures over private members' proposals.^[15] Key advancements included the adoption of standing orders in the 1860s, such as the 1861 rule designating additional "order days" (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and now Thursdays) for government business precedence, which formalized the agenda's structure and curbed filibustering tactics that had previously allowed minority interests to derail sessions.^[16] Thomas Erskine May's Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament, first published in 1844 while he served as Clerk Assistant, played a pivotal role in documenting and standardizing these practices, emphasizing reliance on historical precedents for arranging business and influencing the Order Paper's role as a authoritative record of scheduled proceedings rather than mere announcements.^[17] This codification reflected causal pressures from democratization and industrialization, which amplified the volume of bills—from roughly 100 public bills per session pre-1832 to over 200 by the 1850s—compelling the House to adopt precedent-based rules to ensure efficient dispatch of executive priorities over unstructured debate.^[18]

Evolution Across Commonwealth Parliaments

The Order Paper concept was transplanted from the British parliamentary tradition to emerging Commonwealth dominions through colonial governance structures, ensuring continuity in agenda management upon independence. In Canada, following Confederation under the British North America Act of July 1, 1867, the House of Commons initially replicated the United Kingdom's format for daily parliamentary business listings, drawing directly from Westminster precedents to structure proceedings in the new federal legislature.^[19] Similarly, Australia's Commonwealth Parliament, established by the Constitution enacted on January 1, 1901, adopted an analogous order of business mechanism in its standing orders, modeled on British practices but tailored to bicameral operations across federated states, with early sessions reflecting the exported emphasis on government-priority items.^[20] Adaptations emerged incrementally to address constitutional variances, particularly federal divisions of power that complicated legislative prioritization. In Canada, the 20th-century distinction between the Order Paper—for immediate sittings—and the Notice Paper—for advance notifications—accommodated expanded federal workloads and opposition motions, culminating in their joint daily publication starting October 27, 1969, to streamline tracking amid growing docket complexity.^[21] This separation, absent in the unitary UK system, reflected causal necessities of coordinating national and provincial jurisdictions without fragmenting core agenda functions. Australian evolutions maintained closer fidelity to the original, incorporating federal considerations via standing orders that integrated state-related bills into the order of business, but with procedural tweaks for Senate-House synchronization post-Federation. Post-World War II expansions in governmental scope prompted further codifications across these systems, driven by surging business volumes from welfare state growth and international commitments rather than doctrinal shifts. Canadian procedural manuals, updated in the late 1940s and 1950s, refined Order Paper sequencing to balance executive dominance with private members' business, handling doubled legislative outputs by 1950 compared to pre-war levels.^[4] In Australia, analogous reforms in standing orders around the same era prioritized efficiency in the House of Representatives' dynamic order, adapting to centralized federal powers while preserving Westminster's itemized format amid rising bills and inquiries. These changes underscored empirical responses to scale, with federal structures necessitating notations for intergovernmental coordination absent in the UK progenitor.^[22]

Structure and Components

Standard Format and Sections

The Order Paper follows a standardized layout to outline the sequence of proceedings for a parliamentary sitting, ensuring predictability and adherence to procedural norms. It is structured into sequential sections that reflect the flow of business, beginning with preliminary items and progressing to substantive debates and notices. This format prioritizes efficiency by grouping related activities, such as inquiries, legislative matters, and future proposals, while incorporating mechanisms for flexibility.^[3] Principal sections typically encompass Oral Questions, where members pose direct inquiries to government ministers during allocated periods; Orders of the Day, detailing the core agenda including government motions, bill readings, and debates on urgent matters; Notices of Motions, listing proposed resolutions or amendments submitted in advance for future consideration; and Private Members' Business, reserving slots for bills or motions initiated by non-executive parliamentarians. Precedence rules embedded in the structure favor government business, positioning it ahead of private or opposition items unless otherwise ordered. Time allocations are often annotated for specific segments, such as fixed durations for question periods or debate stages, to manage the sitting's timeframe.^[5]^[23]^[24] Additional elements include notations for deferred business, supplementary questions, or clerical amendments, allowing adjustments without disrupting the overall sequence. The document may also reference concurrent committee meetings or ministerial statements for contextual awareness. Produced in printed or digital formats, Order Papers are publicly accessible to promote transparency, with provisions for intra-session revisions to reflect last-minute procedural changes.^[25]^[2]

Publication Process

The Order Paper is compiled daily by procedural clerks, drawing from standing orders, government business submissions, and notices of opposition motions or private members' business submitted in advance.^[6]^[26] In the Canadian House of Commons, for instance, the Clerk of the House prepares the draft based on items from the preceding Notice Paper, which lists forthcoming business requiring advance notice.^[6] This compilation ensures the agenda reflects procedural rules and timely submissions, typically finalized the day prior or early on the sitting day. Prior to distribution, the Speaker reviews the Order Paper for sequencing, admissibility, and prioritization of items, particularly those involving urgency or precedence under standing orders.^[6] The Clerk provides the Speaker with the proposed agenda before the House convenes, allowing adjustments for procedural compliance.^[6] Electronic formats facilitate minor real-time updates if needed, such as reallocating time slots, though major changes require formal motions during proceedings. Publication occurs shortly before sittings commence, often in the morning for afternoon sessions, in both printed and digital forms for accessibility within the chamber and remotely.^[5] Hard copies are distributed to members via the Vote Office or equivalent, while digital versions appear on official parliamentary websites.^[2] In Australia, related Notice Papers are published a day in advance online.^[27] Archival copies are retained as official records, serving as precedents for future procedural interpretations and accessible through parliamentary websites or integrated with Hansard transcripts for comprehensive session documentation.^[4] This retention supports transparency and historical analysis of parliamentary business flow.^[5]

Usage in Key Jurisdictions

United Kingdom House of Commons

In the United Kingdom House of Commons, the Order Paper functions as the official daily agenda, published each sitting day to detail the forthcoming proceedings in the Chamber. It structures business into distinct sections, including Oral Questions to Ministers, which occur for approximately 45 minutes at the start of sittings from Monday to Thursday, Urgent Questions, Ministerial Statements, and Orders of the Day, the latter encompassing bills, motions, and other substantive items. This format ensures a predictable sequence, with the Speaker calling items as listed while exercising authority over interruptions or procedural matters.^[1]^[2] Standing Order No. 14 establishes government precedence over public business on most sitting days, allocating priority to ministerial motions and legislation on the Order Paper except during specified opposition or backbench slots, such as Wednesdays for opposition debates. This rule entrenches executive dominance in agenda setting, yet the Speaker moderates proceedings by deciding the order of speakers, admissibility of amendments, and timing of divisions, thereby balancing government control with parliamentary oversight. Exceptions can arise through House votes to amend the order, as seen in procedural innovations during crises.^[28]^[29] In 2019, amid Brexit negotiations, the House temporarily suspended normal precedence; on 25 March, MPs amended a government motion to schedule eight indicative votes on withdrawal options, displacing routine Orders of the Day and compelling the government to accommodate backbench priorities. Further adjustments followed, including a 4 April vote for weekly indicative votes and June arrangements prioritizing backbench Brexit motions, demonstrating the Order Paper's adaptability when the House asserts collective will over Standing Order No. 14. These shifts, recorded in parliamentary journals, highlighted the Speaker's role in facilitating orderly debate under altered agendas without derailing core proceedings.^[30] Following the COVID-19 outbreak, hybrid sittings from June 2020 integrated the Order Paper with remote participation protocols, listing virtual elements alongside in-person business to sustain scrutiny and legislation amid lockdowns. This enabled 80-90% attendance rates initially through electronic voting and contributions, enhancing procedural resilience until provisions lapsed on 22 July 2021, after which full physical sittings resumed with the Order Paper reverting to traditional formats. The arrangement underscored the document's utility in maintaining government-led efficiency during disruptions, as validated by post-pandemic reviews.^[31]^[32]

Canadian House of Commons

In the Canadian House of Commons, the Order Paper and Notice Paper constitute a combined daily bilingual publication that structures parliamentary business, reflecting Canada's federal bilingualism policy under section 133 of the Constitution Act, 1867, which mandates English and French as official languages in federal legislative proceedings. The Order Paper lists items scheduled for immediate consideration on a sitting day, such as bills at various readings and motions ready for debate, while the separate Notice Paper details upcoming items requiring advance notice before transfer to the Order Paper.^[4] This dual format, formalized in practice since October 27, 1969, ensures orderly progression of business while accommodating the notice periods outlined in the Standing Orders.^[21] Routine Proceedings form a core segment of the Order Paper, encompassing fixed daily elements like tabling of government documents, committee reports, ministerial statements by unanimous consent, and the 45-minute Question Period, during which opposition members question cabinet ministers on policy and administration. Government Orders follow, prioritizing executive-initiated items such as public bills and allocated opposition days—typically 18 per session, divided among recognized parties to debate opposition motions or supply matters—thus providing a mechanism to counterbalance the government's agenda control under Standing Order 81. Certain non-governmental motions require 48 hours' notice per Standing Order 54 before appearing on the Notice Paper, preventing abrupt disruptions and aligning with Westminster-derived procedural discipline adapted to Canada's multiparty federal context.^[33] This structure underscores federal nuances, including provisions for private members' business on designated Mondays and Wednesdays, where randomly selected bills or motions from backbenchers receive debate time, fostering legislative input beyond executive dominance. The bilingual presentation—titled Order Paper and Notice Paper / Feuilleton et Feuilleton des avis—ensures accessibility in both official languages, with content prepared by the Table Office and distributed electronically and in print before each sitting.^[34]

Australian Federal Parliament

The order of business in the Australian House of Representatives, functioning similarly to an Order Paper by sequencing the daily parliamentary agenda, gives precedence to government business under Standing Order 28, which structures sittings to advance executive priorities such as bills, ministerial statements, and committee reports before other items.^[35] This prioritization ensures that, on most sitting days from Monday to Thursday, government items dominate after routine proceedings like questions without notice, with private members' business confined to limited slots, including all of Thursdays and designated periods on Mondays (typically 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.).^[36] The Notice Paper complements this by listing pending notices of motion—formal declarations of intent to propose motions or bills on specified days—and orders of the day, which track resumed debates on legislation at various stages like second reading or committee.^[37] In the bicameral federal system, the Senate maintains a parallel order of business under its own standing orders, prioritizing government items while allocating time for non-government business, though its proportional representation since 1949 has influenced House proceedings by necessitating adaptations for Senate-initiated amendments or deadlocks on bills.^[38] Post-1949 electoral reforms, which introduced proportional voting for the Senate via amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act effective from the 1949 election, increased the likelihood of minority party influence, prompting the House to structure its order of business around potential bicameral disagreements, such as through messages on bill alterations or referrals to conferences.^[39] This is evident in joint sittings, convened under section 57 of the Constitution after double dissolutions, where a unified order of business is adopted by resolution of both houses; for instance, the 1974 joint sitting on 7 August prioritized six disputed bills in sequence, allowing sequential speeches limited to 30 minutes per member to resolve petroleum and territorial matters expeditiously.^[40] During caretaker periods preceding federal elections, typically from the announcement of dissolution until a new government is commissioned, the order of business in both houses adheres to conventions that curtail non-essential legislative action, avoiding introduction of major bills or policy motions to prevent binding successors, though urgent administrative items like supply bills may proceed if parliament sits.^[41] For example, in the 2022 caretaker period following Prime Minister Scott Morrison's 21 April announcement of the 21 May election, House sittings were suspended, limiting the order of business to pre-existing commitments and eschewing new government initiatives, in line with Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet guidance emphasizing continuity without commitment.^[41] These practices underscore the Order Paper's role in maintaining procedural stability amid electoral transitions in Australia's Westminster-derived system.

Role in Parliamentary Procedure

Agenda Setting and Prioritization

The Order Paper functions as the central instrument for agenda setting in Westminster-style parliaments, where governments, via their business managers such as the Leader of the House, compile and sequence the daily business to address time constraints inherent in legislative schedules. With parliaments typically convening for 150 to 170 days annually and limiting debates to structured hourly blocks, prioritization ensures focus on high-impact items like government bills and ministerial statements over ad hoc private members' motions. In the UK House of Commons, for example, Standing Order No. 14 grants government business precedence on Mondays through Thursdays, systematically elevating executive priorities to expedite passage of legislation such as the annual Finance Bill.^[29]^[5] This government-directed sequencing responds causally to the scarcity of parliamentary time, channeling limited resources toward verifiable outputs like the enactment of 50 to 70 public bills per session in the Commons, far outpacing private initiatives that rarely advance beyond introduction. By relegating non-urgent items to later slots or supplementary orders, the Order Paper averts procedural gridlock, as fragmented agendas would otherwise dilute attention and hinder completion of core functions such as budget approvals or crisis responses.^[42]^[43] Precedence rules embedded in the Order Paper further refine prioritization by overriding standard sequences for exceptional matters, such as motions of no confidence, which the Speaker must prioritize upon tabling to enable swift debate. These mechanisms have demonstrably accelerated proceedings during instability, as in the 2018-2019 UK parliamentary sessions where no-confidence attempts against Theresa May's government prompted immediate scheduling adjustments amid Brexit deliberations, preserving institutional responsiveness without derailing routine business. Such rules balance executive control with safeguards against prolonged inertia, fostering efficient allocation of debate time across diverse jurisdictions like Canada and Australia, where analogous orders similarly favor government agendas subject to override privileges.^[44]^[45]

Interaction with Standing Orders and Motions

The order paper is fundamentally governed by standing orders that dictate the allocation, precedence, and sequencing of parliamentary business. In the United Kingdom House of Commons, Standing Order No. 14 establishes that government business holds precedence over other public business on Mondays through Thursdays, with specified exceptions for opposition days, thereby shaping the daily order paper's composition and priority.^[46] Similarly, in the Canadian House of Commons, Standing Order 68 outlines the routine order of business, prioritizing government orders while sequencing private members' business and notices of motions in the order they appear on the order paper.^[33] These rules provide a rigid yet adaptable framework, ensuring predictable progression unless altered by procedural motions. Motions to amend or suspend standing orders enable targeted modifications to the order paper's structure or content, typically requiring a simple majority vote following notice, though thresholds vary by jurisdiction to prevent arbitrary disruption. In the Australian House of Representatives, Standing Order 47 mandates an absolute majority—defined as more than half of total membership—for suspensions that override the government's ordering of business, a safeguard observed in practice to maintain stability. Such motions, moved without special procedures beyond standard notice, allow backbench or opposition members to propose reallocations, but their success hinges on securing sufficient support, often necessitating cross-party agreement given the executive's agenda dominance.^[47] Procedural interruptions to order paper items, such as points of order or royal assent notifications, are integrated to uphold decorum without derailing core business flow. Points of order permit members to alert the Speaker to alleged breaches of rules during debates on order paper items, temporarily pausing proceedings for resolution, as governed by standing orders emphasizing brevity and relevance.^[46] Royal assent announcements, signifying the monarch's approval of bills, interrupt the order paper in both the UK and Canada; for example, in the Canadian House, such ceremonies halt recognition of members for points of order or questions of privilege until completion, ensuring ceremonial precedence while resuming routine business promptly.^[48] These interlinks balance rigidity with responsiveness, allowing standing orders to accommodate unforeseen procedural needs without undermining the order paper's scheduled integrity.

Controversies and Criticisms

Executive Dominance Over Legislative Agenda

In Westminster parliamentary systems, including the United Kingdom and Canada, the executive exercises substantial control over the legislative agenda through mechanisms like the order paper, which prioritizes government business for the majority of sitting time. Official procedural guides indicate that governments typically command 80-90% of House of Commons time in the UK, with opposition access limited to designated supply days—approximately 20 per session out of 140-160 sitting days—while the remainder defaults to executive priorities.^[49] ^[50] In Canada, government orders similarly dominate daily proceedings following question period, with time allocation motions further curtailing debate on non-government items, as evidenced by their application on up to 7.7% of sitting days in certain parliaments, underscoring the executive's role in streamlining but restricting the agenda.^[51] ^[52] This arrangement draws criticism from procedural reformers, often aligned with left-leaning perspectives favoring greater legislative openness, who argue it marginalizes opposition and backbench bills, thereby undermining parliamentary sovereignty and limiting scrutiny of executive proposals.^[53] ^[29] Such critiques, prevalent in academic and reform-oriented analyses despite potential institutional biases toward decentralized deliberation, highlight concerns over reduced opportunities for alternative policy debate, as seen in advocacy for business committees to wrest partial control from the executive.^[54] Defenders emphasize that executive agenda dominance promotes efficiency in enacting government platforms, averting indefinite delays. Comparative evidence supports this, as systems with weaker centralized control, such as the fragmented U.S. Congress, exhibit pronounced gridlock due to party polarization and veto players, resulting in stalled legislation like repeated appropriations failures—contrasting with the more consistent output in fused-power parliamentary setups.^[55] ^[56]

Backbench and Opposition Challenges

In Westminster-style parliaments, backbench members and opposition parties face significant hurdles in influencing the order paper due to the executive's priority under standing orders, such as Standing Order No. 14 in the UK House of Commons, which allocates the majority of sitting time to government business.^[57] Limited slots for opposition days—typically 17 per session for the official opposition and prorated for others—provide opportunities to set the agenda, but these rarely result in binding outcomes, as governments often amend or ignore non-statutory motions.^[57] Backbench business, managed by a dedicated committee since reforms in 2010, controls about 35 days per session, yet proposals must navigate party whips who enforce discipline, limiting rebellious votes to exceptional cases like the 2019 Brexit parliamentary maneuvers.^[58] Emergency debates under Standing Order No. 24 offer a mechanism for urgent overrides, allowing any MP to petition the Speaker for a debate displacing normal business if it concerns a definite matter of public importance.^[59] Granted sparingly—fewer than 20 times per Parliament on average—these were pivotal in September 2019 when, on 3 September, Speaker John Bercow approved a debate on European Union withdrawal, leading to a 328–301 vote for a motion that seized control of the order paper to debate a bill preventing a no-deal Brexit.^[60]^[61] This success, however, relied on cross-party cooperation amid a minority government, underscoring the rarity of such interventions; opposition motions succeed in forcing government concessions or defeats in under 5% of cases during majority parliaments, per analyses of post-1945 voting patterns.^[62] Party whips exacerbate these challenges by coordinating attendance and pressuring MPs to adhere to leadership directives, often through threats of deselection or withheld resources, which critics argue stifles constituency representation and fosters "elective dictatorship."^[63] A 2023 report by the Constitution Society documented how whipping extends to candidate selection, reducing backbench autonomy and prioritizing party cohesion over individual judgment.^[63] Defenders, including parliamentary procedure experts, contend that such discipline prevents fragmented agendas that could lead to policy paralysis, as evidenced by higher legislative throughput in systems with executive agenda dominance, where governments pass over 90% of priority bills compared to more consensual models.^[58]^[64] Empirical outcomes reveal a structural tilt toward majorities: while 2019's SO24 use demonstrated potential for assertiveness, subsequent sessions saw fewer grants (e.g., only three in 2020–21), affirming that stability from controlled agendas outweighs frequent disruptions in averting minority vetoes.^[59]^[65]

Impact and Reforms

Contributions to Legislative Efficiency

The Order Paper facilitates legislative efficiency by establishing a structured daily agenda that allocates specific time slots for debates, motions, and bill stages, thereby minimizing procedural disruptions and enabling the government to advance its legislative priorities systematically. In the UK House of Commons, programme motions tied to the Order Paper delineate debating time for each bill stage, which has supported the passage of government bills within single sessions, with historical data showing an average of 25-28 public bills receiving Royal Assent annually in recent sessions such as 2012-13 and 2013-14.^[66]^[67] This mechanism counters potential filibustering or indefinite delays, as seen in systems without equivalent agenda controls, by enforcing closure and prioritizing substantive policy discussion over tactical obstruction.^[68] Empirical comparisons highlight Westminster systems' superior output relative to presidential counterparts, where executive legislative success rates are notably lower due to fragmented agendas and veto points. Parliamentary executives, leveraging tools like the Order Paper, achieve higher bill completion rates—often exceeding 80% for introduced government measures—facilitating manifesto implementation without the gridlock prevalent in divided-government scenarios.^[69] For instance, UK sessions typically span 140-150 sitting days yet yield consistent enactment of core legislation, outperforming per-day productivity in the US Congress, where similar sitting durations correlate with fewer major laws amid procedural hurdles.^[70]^[71] While critics note that tight timetabling may constrain scrutiny, this structure weighs favorably against the alternative of agenda-free assemblies prone to chaos and stalled business, as evidenced by expedited passages enabling timely responses to urgent needs without compromising overall throughput. The Order Paper thus promotes evidence-based policymaking by channeling debates toward merit evaluation, reducing reliance on emergency procedures and sustaining governance momentum across sessions.^[66]^[72]

Proposed Modifications and Alternatives

In Canada, discussions within the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs have explored modifications to enhance predictability in the Order Paper through "made-in-Canada" programming motions for government bills, negotiated among House Leaders to allocate specific debate times and reduce reliance on ad hoc time allocation, which occurred over 100 times in the 41st Parliament.^[73] These proposals aim to balance government prioritization with structured opposition scrutiny, though without directly expanding allotted opposition days, as evidenced in committee testimonies advocating for better integration of opposition motions into routine proceedings to avoid disruptions.^[74] Australian parliamentary reforms, outlined in agendas like the Democracy Agenda for the 48th Parliament, emphasize strengthening checks on executive agenda control, including potential reapportionment of private members' business on the order of business, but lack specific Order Paper overhauls, focusing instead on broader procedural enhancements for opposition input.^[75] Digital tools for agenda prioritization remain underexplored in both systems, with general parliamentary digital strategies prioritizing accessibility over algorithmic ranking of Order Paper items, reflecting caution against unproven technologies that could introduce biases or delays.^[76]^[77] Alternatives such as the U.S. congressional calendar system, featuring multiple specialized calendars for bills and greater committee autonomy, permit broader minority party influence but foster partisanship and gridlock, with comparative analyses indicating lower legislative productivity than Westminster models where party discipline enables higher enactment rates of government priorities.^[78]^[69] Defenses of the status quo cite empirical trade-offs, where structured Order Paper control supports efficient passage of legislation—evident in consistent government bill success under unified parliamentary majorities—while excessive inclusivity risks procedural paralysis, as observed in deliberative systems prioritizing broad input over timely outputs.^[79]^[80] Reform advocates, often from opposition perspectives, prioritize inclusivity to mitigate executive dominance, yet causal evidence underscores that such expansions correlate with reduced efficiency, favoring ordered agendas for decisive action over measures prone to dilatory effects, a view aligned with analyses emphasizing mandate fulfillment over equitable time-sharing.^[81]^[82]

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The order in which items of business are taken in the House is determined by the order of the notices and orders of the day on the Notice Paper. Variation ...
[36]
Private Members' Mondays - Parliament of Australia
Committee and delegation business and private Members' business (from 11am to 1.30 pm, and from 4.45 pm to 7.30 pm). There are no longer separate periods for ...
[37]
Notice - Parliament of Australia
A notice is a declaration of intent to the House by a Member to either move a motion or present a bill on a specified day.
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Chapter 13 - Notices of Motion - Parliament of Australia
Notices shall be entered by the Clerk on the Notice Paper in the order in which they are delivered at the table. A senator may, on request, give notice for ...
[39]
Why We Chose Proportional Representation - Parliament of Australia
The bare facts are well known: in 1948 the Chifley government initiated amendments to the Electoral Act to alter the existing method of counting the Senate vote ...
[40]
Joint sitting - Parliament of Australia
The Constitution provides for each House to make rules for the order and conduct of business either separately or jointly with the other House.[131] At the time ...
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[PDF] Guidance on Caretaker Conventions
2.6. Following the end of the caretaker period and once a new government is appointed, successive governments have accepted the convention that ministers do not ...Missing: paper | Show results with:paper
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Chamber Information - UK Parliament
From the day after State Opening (Thursday 18 July), an Order of Business and Summary Agenda setting out each day's business in the Chamber will be published ...
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Parliamentary Democracy in Action - European Parliament
Sep 1, 2021 · ... AGENDA-SETTING ... order paper, the main instrument for setting the Commons' priorities is the government's agenda, as set out in the ...
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[PDF] Confidence Motions - UK Parliament
Mar 14, 2019 · House of Commons, Order Paper, Remaining Orders, 18 December 2018; see also. HC Deb 17 December 2018 c568. Page 20. 20 Confidence Motions.
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Questions - Our Procedure - ProceduralInfo - House of Commons
When Questions on the Order Paper is called, a minister or a parliamentary secretary announces which question(s) the government intends to answer on that day.Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
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Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Parliament UK
Standing Orders 2018: The Speaker 1. Election of the Speaker: Member presiding (1)Whenever it is necessary to proceed forthwith to the choice of a new Speaker.
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Motions relating to the Standing Orders - Parliament of Australia
Standing orders are made and amended by motion moved on notice in the usual way; no special procedures are involved.
[48]
Rules of Order and Decorum - House of Commons
... Royal Assent ceremony, the business of the House is interrupted. No Member will be recognized to speak on a point of order or a question of privilege.
[49]
Control of time in the House - Erskine May - UK Parliament
18.10In principle, the control of the distribution of the time available to the House rests with the House itself. In practice, the House has by standing ...Missing: percentage | Show results with:percentage
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House of Commons trends
Nov 4, 2020 · Six of the last nine sessions have seen a decrease in the percentage of time spent on Government bills compared to the previous sessions.
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Time Allocation - The Curtailment of Debate - House of Commons
The time allocation rule allows for specific periods of time to be set aside for the consideration of one or more stages of a public bill.
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Time Allocation in the House of Commons
This article analyses the context in which time allocation was adopted and determines which government has used it most often.
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[PDF] Taking Back Control: Why the House of Commons Should Govern its ...
Appendix: Standing Order No. 14. Arrangement of public business. (1) Save as provided in this order, government business shall have precedence at every sitting.
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Time for MPs to take back control of the Commons | UCL News
Jan 19, 2021 · The report illustrates how MPs have surprisingly little say over what the Commons can discuss, the timetable for debates, or even when the chamber meets.
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Party Polarization and Legislative Gridlock - jstor
This article investigates how parties affect legislative gridlock-the inability of government to enact significant proposals on the policy agenda.
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Gridlock, leverage, and policy bundling - ScienceDirect.com
In this paper, I explore the possibility that Congress' ability to engage in policy bundling, whereby legislators bundle diverse and (possibly) unrelated ...
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Opposition day debates in the House of Commons since 1992
Sep 4, 2025 · An opposition day is one on which an opposition party sets the agenda. Dates of debates, parties choosing the subject and the outcome of each debate are listed.
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Whips: what is their role? | Institute for Government
Jul 29, 2024 · Whips act as a link between the front and back benches. They ensure not only that MPs support party policy but in turn that backbench concerns ...Missing: reducing | Show results with:reducing
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Emergency debates in parliament | Institute for Government
Aug 30, 2019 · Under the current Standing Orders, emergency debates can be up to three hours long, although the Speaker may impose a shorter timeframe. Do ...
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Emergency debate on European Union Withdrawal - UK Parliament
Sep 3, 2019 · This emergency debate follows the Prime Minister's decision to prorogue Parliament for five weeks in the lead up to the Brexit date of 31 October 2019.
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European Union (Withdrawal) - Hansard - UK Parliament
Sep 3, 2019 · “it is perfectly open to the House to amend Standing Order No. 24, of which there is some uncertainty and often incomprehension. It could be ...
[62]
Evidence on Status of resolutions of the House of Commons
May 4, 2023 · This section reviews comparative variation in the consequences of government defeats on matters of confidence and their political implications ...
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[PDF] CRACKING THE WHIP: THE UK'S PARTY CONTROL SYSTEM
May 30, 2023 · The report reveals the whipping system which extends beyond parliament, into local government and, increasingly, to the selection of future MPs.
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[PDF] Agenda Setting and Executive Dominance in Politics
It empowers the government to select its preferred point among the multiple possible solutions that would be accepted by parliament and provides the ...
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[PDF] Are Parliamentary Systems Better? - Boston University
Results for the PRS measure of corruption control, government effectiveness and political stability are inconclusive. On balance, Parliamentarism appears to ...
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How can the government timetable legislation in parliament?
Oct 22, 2019 · Programme motions set out how much time MPs will have to debate and scrutinise a bill at each stage of its passage through the Commons.
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[PDF] Passing legislation - Institute for Government
Despite talk in 2014 of a 'zombie parliament', a similar number of government bills were passed in 2013-14 (25) as in 2012-13 (28), and more than in some ...Missing: empirical historical
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[PDF] The legislative process | Institute for Government
Dec 2, 2022 · A key function of the UK parliament is to enable a democratically elected government to deliver on its manifesto pledges through legislation. ...
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[PDF] Policy differences among parliamentary and presidential systems.
The empirical evidence suggests that, compared to Prime Ministers, presidents enjoy lower levels of legislative success. Yet, situations of “deadlock,” or. “ ...
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Reality Check: Do UK MPs work more days than other politicians?
Jul 17, 2018 · During the last complete parliamentary session, 2016-17, the House of Commons sat on 142 days. During the previous session - 2015-16 - the ...
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Number of public bills introduced and gaining Royal Assent since ...
Jul 3, 2017 · Table showing the number of public bills introduced by session in each parliament since 1997 and the number that gained Royal Assent, becoming Acts of ...
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[PDF] The Legislative Process: The Passage of Bills Through Parliament
Jul 8, 2019 · Timetabling in the Commons and its consequences for the Lords. 22. A number of witnesses expressed concern about the time available for.
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Reforming the Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Canada.ca
Mar 10, 2017 · The purpose of this paper is to stimulate a discussion of reforms to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons.<|separator|>
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[PDF] Evidence of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs
Jun 4, 2020 · Bill Blaikie: What I suggested, I suggested in light of knowing that the lack of opposition days or opportunities for the opposition to ...
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[PDF] Democracy Agenda for the 48th Parliament - The Australia Institute
In particular, the House of. Representatives could: a. Schedule private members' motions and bills for debate. b. Remove the requirement for an absolute ...
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[PDF] DIGITAL STRATEGY - Parliament of Australia
The strategy sets the vision for the Australian Parliament, aiming for modern, accessible, and seamless digital services, building on recent ICT modernization.
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Digital Parliament: Canada in Context
May 1, 2025 · This HillStudy examines the experiences of Canadian senators, members of Parliament and parliamentary staff with digital parliament since the pandemic.<|separator|>
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Introduction: Comparing the legislative performance of legislatures
Jan 24, 2007 · Congress finds it easier to represent than make laws and, in a comparative perspective, Congress is less efficient as a lawmaker than ...
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Deliberation or Efficiency? Examining the Relationship Between ...
Sep 16, 2025 · These findings underscore a potential tradeoff between a deliberative and efficient government and carry significant implications for reform ...
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[PDF] Divided Government, Legislative Productivity, and Policy Change in ...
We find that periods of unified government show higher levels of production of important laws in the US, but we find no difference for overall legislative.
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(PDF) Legislative Efficiency and Political Inclusiveness: The Effect of ...
Aug 5, 2025 · PDF | This paper contributes to discussions surrounding interest group representation in the European Parliament.
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[PDF] Evidence on outcomes of an inclusive societies approach - GOV.UK
Jul 8, 2015 · There can be trade-offs between wide inclusiveness and efficiency of state decision-making, as including many groups may mean creating a ...