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Chapter 14 - Committee
of the whole proceedings
Debate in committee
As has already been indicated, in committee of the whole senators may
speak more than once to questions before the chair.
A special time
limit applies to debate in committee of the whole. A senator may not
speak for more than 15 minutes at a time, but when a senator has spoken for 15
minutes and no other senator rises to speak, the senator speaking may continue
to speak for a further 15 minutes. If there is then no other senator who wishes
to speak, the senator speaking may not continue on the same question (SO 189(3)).
This means that if only one senator wishes to speak on a question
before a chair, that senator is limited to 30 minutes’ speaking time. The rule
also means that at least two senators, speaking in turn, are required to keep
debate going on a question in committee of the whole; a senator who speaks
twice without any other senator rising cannot continue on the same question
(see SD, 26/8/1999, p.7805-6, Temporary Chair Hogg and Senator Brown). When a
senator is interrupted by the time limit, but has obviously not finished the
speech, another senator may seek the call to speak and speak briefly solely for
the purpose of allowing the senator whose time has expired to continue. The
senator seeking the call may merely say: “I rise only to allow the senator to
continue the senator’s speech”, and then sit down, allowing the senator whose
time has expired to seek the call again and to continue speaking with what is
technically a new speaking opportunity. This procedure also facilitates full
debate in committee of the whole.
If a committee reports progress (see below), which means, in effect,
that the consideration of the matter before it is adjourned, every senator,
including a senator who has spoken for 30 minutes continuously, has renewed
speaking opportunities when the committee resumes consideration of that matter.
If the sitting of a committee is suspended, a senator speaking at the time of
the suspension has the right to continue when the sitting is resumed for the
balance of the time available to the senator.
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