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How to change your proxy voting arrangement

These steps are for you as an MP rather than your staff.

You cannot vote in person if you have a proxy vote in operation, including in a deferred division. You should also not speak in the Chamber or Westminster Hall or take part in any Committee proceedings at Westminster.

Parental proxy voting

You can change the Member who acts as your proxy, suspend your proxy voting arrangement or end your proxy voting period early.

Steps

  1. You must email pbohoc@parliament.uk before the rise of the House on the sitting day before you want the change to take effect, or by 3pm on the working day before, if the House is not sitting. (Any period for which you suspend the proxy arrangement will count towards the maximum time the arrangement can apply.)
  2. The Speaker will publish the changes by issuing a certificate, which will appear in the Votes and Proceedings no later than the sitting day on which it takes effect.

Serious long-term illness or injury proxy voting

Changing proxy, suspending or ending proxy voting arrangement You can change the Member who acts as your proxy, suspend your proxy voting arrangement or end your proxy voting period early.

Steps

  1. You must email pbohoc@parliament.uk before the rise of the House on the sitting day before you want the change to take effect or by 3pm on the working day before, if the House is not sitting.
  2. The Speaker will publish the changes by issuing a certificate, which will appear in the Votes and Proceedings no later than the sitting day on which it takes effect.

Extending a proxy voting arrangement

Steps

  1. You can also apply to extend your proxy voting arrangement beyond seven months for a single time-limited period if you provide a further written statement from a hospital consultant. This statement should be emailed phws@parliament.uk (cc speakersoffice@parliament.uk for information only). The statement must specify the period of time for which the consultant considers an extension is required.

  2. Members are generally expected not to be present on the Parliamentary Estate whilst holding a proxy vote. If, for exceptional reasons, you are intending to be present on the Estate, you should say so (and, if possible, the reasons for doing so) in your application email.

  3. Your application will be assessed by the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service, who will complete a proforma for the Speaker about your eligibility for an extension. They may also provide the Speaker with advice about whether, for exceptional reasons, you should hold the proxy vote whilst being present on the Parliamentary Estate.

  4. The Speaker will then make a decision about whether to grant the extension. If he grants it, he will issue a certificate, which will appear in the Votes and Proceedings no later than the sitting day on which the extension takes effect.