The MPs' Guide to Procedure online resource is currently being updated. View the new version of the MPs' Guide to Procedure (PDF, 1.5MB), published in January 2024.

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Votes on amendments

Unless they’re withdrawn or not selected, all Government amendments require a decision. They will either be agreed to (or, theoretically, disagreed to) without a vote or a vote will take place. Sometimes, the Chair will group a series of non-controversial decisions on technical Government amendments together and pose one question on their agreement. A single MP can object to this approach and then the amendments will have to be decided separately.

Votes on all other amendments are at the Chair’s discretion. The Chair has to balance time available for debating the bill with accommodating MPs who’ve said they want to vote on an amendment.