Compensation for time lost to other proceedings

28.31Provision has also been made to compensate for time lost to the consideration of the bill on an allotted day because of urgent questions, government statements, or other proceedings, before the commencement of public business. This has been done either by adding to the times specified in the timetable the equivalent of the time so lost,1 or by the substitution of references to a specified time rather than the moment of interruption.2

An allocation of time order normally provides that any proceedings on the bill due to be concluded on a day for which an emergency debate has been set down from an earlier day under Standing Order No 24 (Emergency debates) shall be postponed (and, so far as necessary, exempted from interruption) for a period equal to that taken by the motion.

Separate provision is often made against the contingency that an application for an emergency debate under Standing Order No 24 may be granted on an allotted day and set down by the Speaker for debate on the same day. The allocation of time order normally provides that, in such circumstances, the Speaker may not arrange for the motion to be made before the conclusion of any proceedings to which the order applies. It may also provide that any proceedings due to be concluded after that time shall be postponed for a period equal to that taken by the emergency debate. Exemption from the operation of the moment of interruption in such a case is afforded by the terms of Standing Order No 24(6).