Sir Lindsay Hoyle
MP for Chorley · Speaker · United Kingdom
“Before we start questions, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the legendary Sir Billy Boston. He was a pioneer in the rugby world, switching codes from union to league, a record try scorer for Wigan, and the second highest all-time scorer of tries.”
“I inform the House that I have received letters from the hon. Member for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green (Florence Eshalomi) informing me of her resignation as Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, the hon.”
“If there is more than one candidate in any election, the ballot will take place on Monday 14 September between 3 pm and 6 pm in the Aye Lobby. I remind Members that new rules in relation to campaigning for Select Committee Chair elections, which were proposed by the Procedure Committee, were endorsed by the House on 28 April 2026.”
“We now come to the statement from the Prime Minister. There has been a lot of speculation over the recess, and I just say that this is in accordance with the rules of government. The ministerial code is clear. For those who have asked why I have not commented, it is because it is within the rules, which I do not make.”
“Before we come to the urgent question on British Steel, can I say that I am amazed that a statement was not brought to the House on this very important matter that affects different constituencies? Nothing ever seems to change, but can the message go back that just telling me is not an answer?”
“Before we come to business questions, I wish everybody a pleasant recess. I hope we get some downtime; it seems to have been a very heavy Session so far.”
The complete record
Every one of 657 lines we hold for Sir Lindsay Hoyle, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 14.
“Order. I hope somebody did not use the word “hypocrisy”. I am sure that was not the case. I call the Chief Secretary to the Treasury—and congratulations on your promotion.”
“Accordingly, I have decided that this is indeed a matter for which I should allow the precedence accorded to issues of privilege. The hon. Member can therefore table a motion to be debated on Thursday. The motion will be taken after any urgent questions or statements and before Government business. It will be available to Members once it has been tabled, which I expect will be before the rise of the House today.”
“I have received a letter from the hon. Member for North Dorset (Simon Hoare) asking for permission for an issue to be given precedence as a matter of privilege. It concerns a legal case that could potentially have the effect of preventing the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration—also known as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman—from laying a report before Parliament under section 10(3) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967. Standing Order No. 146 gives the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee the task of examining such reports. The free flow of information to Parliament is essential to its work and, in the past, attempts to prevent communication to the House or its Committees have been treated as contempts.”
“Order. Sorry, but I have a lot of Members to get in. I have given the Chair of the Select Committee a lot of leeway. It might be worth her putting in for an Adjournment debate, if there is so much to say on the subject; I would be more than happy with that.”
“Order— [ Interruption. ] No, it’s no use nodding at me. I have not gone over time; it is the shadow Minister himself. I am sure he is now coming to a conclusion.”
“Order. Please, it is not acceptable on either side of the House to take advantage of the Back Benchers who want to get in. You have a set amount of time. If the Minister can stick to it, I expect the shadow Minister to do so. If the Minister goes over time, I do then grant time the other way. Please do not do this again. Let us come to the Chair of the Select Committee.”
“Before we come to the statement by the Home Secretary, I should like to say something about the House’s sub judice resolution. The case of Epping Forest district council v. Somani Hotels is still active and before the courts, but because the case concerns wider issues relating to the planning consent required for hotels to house asylum seekers, I have decided to grant a waiver so that Members are free to refer to it in proceedings. However, I remind the House that there are other active criminal prosecutions related to disorder around the Bell hotel and elsewhere, as well as one prosecution of an asylum seeker for alleged sexual offences. Hon. Members may refer to the general issues relating to asylum accommodation, but should avoid discussing any specific criminal cases.”
“Order. Let me help the hon. Gentleman. If you have a main question and I call you in topicals, you really need to shorten your question in order to let other Members in.”
“I have to notify the House that, in accordance with the Royal Assent Act 1967, the King has signified his Royal Assent to the following Acts: Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2025 Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 Football Governance Act 2025 Norwich Livestock Market Act 2025.”
“Before I call the shadow Home Secretary to ask this urgent question, I remind the House that hon. Members must not refer to any matters that are currently before the courts. Members are free to refer to broader policy issues, but they should not get into the details of the specific cases for which criminal charges are being brought.”
“Before we begin, I am sure that the House will wish to join me in sending our best wishes to Robert Gibbs, catering operations manager, who will be leaving the House of Commons service tomorrow after 25 years. Robert was instrumental in setting up the catering operation in Portcullis House when it opened more than 20 years ago, and he has since been dedicated to his role in supporting the management of catering across the estate. He recently stepped up as acting director of catering services, leading and supporting the whole team for the past two years. I take this opportunity to thank Robert, on behalf of the whole House, for his 25 years of service, and to wish him well in the future. Robert is a good man and we will miss him.”
“I would like to make a brief statement. I am grateful to the Secretary of State for Defence for his statement yesterday. This episode raises significant constitutional issues. I have therefore asked the Clerks to consider whether any lessons need to be learned from this case. If so, I will report back to the House in due course.”
“Order. We need to be careful about what we say. I think that the hon. Gentleman has suggested that the Secretary of State was not honest, and I think we are all honest Members here.”
“I really want to get everybody in—I am sure the Secretary of State wants that—so I need a lot of help from those on the Front Bench to speed things up. A good example will be set by Toby Perkins, the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee.”
“Order. Please! I need Members to help me get colleagues in. All colleagues from all sides of the House want to get in on this statement. Without your help, that will not happen.”
“Before we come to our proceedings, I remind Members of the difference between Report and Third Reading. The scope of debate on Report is the amendments I have selected. The scope of the Third Reading debate to follow will be the whole Bill as it stands after Report. Members may wish to consider those points before deciding at which stage, or stages, they want to try to catch my eye. Clause 1 Offence of unauthorised entry to designated football matches”
“With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Amendment 2, page 1, line 8, leave out “or attempted entry”. Amendment 3, page 1, line 11, leave out “or attempting to enter”.Amendment 4, page 1, line 13, leave out “or attempted to enter”. Amendment 5, page 1, line 15, leave out “or attempted entry”. Amendment 6, clause 2, page 2, line 3, leave out from “force” to end of line 4 and insert “at the end of the period of 2 months beginning with the day on which it is passed.”.”
“Order. The right hon. Gentleman is straying a little wide into different areas. As he rightly said, the Bill is quite narrow. I am sure that he will want to get back on track. This is about football, not cinemas.”
“The motion will be taken after any urgent questions or statements and before the Government business. It will be available to Members once it has been tabled, which will be before the rise of the House today.”
“Member for North Dorset (Simon Hoare) asking that this matter be given precedence as a matter of privilege on the grounds that “We suggest that the House should be given an opportunity to consider that petition, but it is profoundly unsatisfactory for it to have to make a decision without any ability for any Members to assess the propriety of releasing the evidence or of the privilege issues which may be raised by referring such material to a statutory inquiry which we understand is ‘a place out of Parliament’ for the purposes of Article 9 of the Bill of Rights”. I have considered the issue and decided that this is a matter for which I should allow the precedence accorded to issues of privilege. The hon. Members may therefore table a motion to be debated on Monday.”
“Last night, the hon. Member for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi) presented a petition from the solicitor to the Omagh bombing inquiry, asking for access to unreported evidence from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee inquiry into the bombing on 15 August 1998. I have also received a letter from the hon. Member for Gower and the hon.”
“I think Mr Farage is capable of dealing with his own battles, as we have seen on many occasions. I would say that this is about the respect and tolerance that we should show each other. What we do in here is reflected outside, so please let us show common sense and respect for each other.”
“I will not continue the debate from Prime Minister’s questions, which I have ended. The hon. Gentleman has corrected the record with what he has stated, which is now on the record.”
“Order. Mr Stuart, I do not need any challenges from you. You should know better; you are on the Speaker’s Panel of Chairs. You really do have to think about what you are saying. Your behaviour is getting intolerable.”
“Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to remember Lord Tebbit, the former right hon. Member for Chingford, who died yesterday. He was one of the giants of the Thatcher era, before his political career was cut short by the attack on the Grand hotel in Brighton. The thoughts of the whole House are with his family and friends.”
“Before we begin, I should like to take a moment to remember that today is the 20th anniversary of the terrible London bombings in 2005. The thoughts of the House today are with the victims and their families, and with the emergency services, London’s NHS and the staff of Transport for London, who responded so bravely to the events on that day. I think we all remember where we were when that horrific news came through.”
“Order. This is topical questions. You have to help me get the Back Benchers in, but you are not at the moment. I am sure you are coming to an end now.”
“To help everybody, let me say that my intention is to call everyone, so let us help each other by speeding through. As a good example, I call Andy MacNae.”
“Before we come to Prime Minister’s questions, I welcome to the Gallery His Excellency Ahmad Safadi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Jordan, and his delegation.”
“Order. There seems to be a bit of a challenge over who can cheer the most. I have never known one Prime Minister get as much cheering. [ Interruption. ]”
“Order. There are a load of people wanting to catch my eye today. There are some free hits on the Government Benches—hon. Members should not waste their opportunity.”
“Order. There are one or two Members who I can spot immediately: the usual voices, the same names. Please—it is too early to leave the Chamber.”
“Order. Mr McKee, I think we have had a run-in before. I certainly do not want any more. Seriously—you are obviously not getting your timing right, because I can hear your voice every time.”
“I will just make the point again that we are a long way from Eastleigh; I do not understand how the questions are grouped in this way. Other people listed on the Order Paper are being left behind and are missing out as a result.”
“Order. I say to those on the Opposition Front Bench that the statement has only just started. You might not be interested, but I know my constituents are. I expect the same courtesy when you speak.”
“Order. Can we try to speed up questions and answers? No, it is not the Secretary of State’s fault; I am just thinking of the numbers. Everybody wants to make a comment, and I understand why. Johanna Baxter will give us a good example.”
“The lead question is on Cumbria. We are putting general questions into what is a lead question, and I do not think it is good to join them up. We are now going round the country on what should have been a Cumbrian question, which is something we could think about for the future.”
“Order. I now have to move on to topical questions. There will be disappointment for hon. Members whose questions are next on the Order Paper, but that is because of the way questions have been grouped. We really do need to think about why we are grouping questions that are not relevant to each other.”
“Order. I am going to allow business questions to run only until 11.30 am, because of the important statement that is to follow, so I ask Members to help each other, and there will be a good example from Afzal Khan.”
“Before I call the Prime Minister to make his statement, I note that it will cover two separate substantial subjects—the G7 summit in Canada 10 days ago, and the NATO summit in The Hague this week. For that reason I will allow a degree of latitude and, unusually, I will allow hon. Members who wish to ask about both subjects to do so. I urge colleagues to keep their questions brief for the benefit of those who are still waiting to be called. I call the Prime Minister.”
“Order. You may not wish to hear the Leader of the Opposition, but I do. It does not do anybody good in this Chamber to try to shout down somebody who is speaking.”
“Order. Members are not meant to walk in front of the Member who is speaking; it is discourteous. The hon. Member for Portsmouth North (Amanda Martin) deliberately looked and carried on.”
“I assure the right hon. Gentleman that I have had no notice that the Government will come to the House to make a statement. What I can say is that he has certainly put his points on the record, and I know that those on the Treasury Bench will have heard what he had to say.”
“57) Max Wilkinson presented a Bill to require the Secretary of State to enter into negotiations with the European Union for the purpose of agreeing a visa waiver for UK artists and musicians performing at festivals in EU member states; to make provision to facilitate the movement of artists and musicians, and of their equipment, between the EU and the UK to perform at festivals; to require the Secretary of State to publish a Festivals Strategy; and for connected purposes. Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday 11 July, and to be printed (Bill 277).”
“57 ) Calum Miller presented a Bill to require parliamentary approval for the deployment of UK armed forces outside the UK; to provide for exemptions from that requirement in cases of emergency or in respect of compliance with treaty obligations; to make provision for retrospective parliamentary approval in certain circumstances; and for connected purposes. Bill read the First time; to be read a Second time on Friday on 11 July, and to be printed (Bill 276). Festivals Bill Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No.”
“I am sure that the Table Office can help the hon. Lady. If answers are not forthcoming, I ask her to please come back to me, perhaps with another point of order, but I must impress on her that she should consider an Adjournment debate, because I genuinely believe that this matter needs to be aired. I recognise that many Members, from all parts of the House, are struggling to get questions answered and to receive letters. That is not acceptable. I say to those in Government Departments that they must get on with the job that they are there to do. This is all about looking after the Back Benchers of this House. Bills Presented Armed Forces (Deployment Outside the UK) Bill Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No.”
“One of us will have to give way, and it will not be me. First, let me reassure the hon. Lady that I am very, very concerned about questions not being answered in a reasonable timeframe. I think that is totally unacceptable. It is also totally unacceptable to give the wrong answers and for the Department not to take such questions seriously. I take them very seriously. I know that the hon. Lady would not bring this as a point of order if she did not have real concerns. I know that her concerns are genuine, which is something that I am very concerned about. I know that she will keep in touch with me. I say to the hon. Lady that, after everything she has said, she should consider putting in for an Adjournment debate where this matter could be discussed more widely. I think that that would be a good way to deal with it.”
“Order. This is topical questions; I have to get other people in. Questions are meant to be short and punchy. Please, let us now hear a quick answer from the Foreign Secretary.”
“I wish to make a short statement about the text of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. After the Bill was published last Wednesday, a small error was spotted in the text, concerning a cross-reference between subsections in clause 5. I am satisfied that the error is sufficiently minor to authorise a corrected print of the Bill, which will be available in the Vote Office and online after this statement. The substantive proceedings on the Bill are not affected in any way by the change, and no matters of order arise.”
“Order. I am aiming for 5 o’clock, so if we can speed up questions and answers, that would be very helpful. For a good example of that, I call Louise Jones.”