Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons

Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons is a collective title for the senior Members of Parliament who preside over sittings of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in the absence of the Speaker. The principal office is the Chairman of Ways and Means, a historic title dating to the Committee of Ways and Means, with two further deputies known as the First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means and the Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means. These three individuals form the core of the Chairman's Panel, a group of MPs authorized to act as Deputy Speakers.

Role and responsibilities

The primary duty of the Deputy Speakers is to occupy the Chair in the House of Commons chamber, maintaining order and ensuring adherence to parliamentary procedure as codified in Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice. They call members to speak, select amendments during certain debates, and make procedural rulings. During the highly regulated debates on the Budget or the Finance Bill, the Chairman of Ways and Means has specific responsibilities. Unlike the Speaker, Deputy Speakers do not traditionally remain politically impartial while in the Chair and may participate in divisions, though by convention they do not speak in partisan debates. They also serve on administrative bodies like the House of Commons Commission.

Appointment and tenure

Deputy Speakers are elected by the whole House of Commons via secret ballot at the start of each Parliament, following the election of the Speaker. By modern convention, the three main offices are allocated among the major political parties to reflect the composition of the House; the Chairman of Ways and Means typically comes from the governing party, while the First and Second Deputy Chairmen are drawn from the largest opposition parties, such as the Labour Party or the Scottish National Party. Their tenure lasts for the duration of the Parliament, though they can be re-elected. They are supported in their work by the Clerk of the House of Commons and other officials.

List of Deputy Speakers

Historically significant holders of the office include the first Chairman of Ways and Means, Sir John Mowbray, appointed in 1902. Notable 20th-century figures include Sir Robert Grant-Ferris, who served during the Falklands War, and Dame Janet Fookes. In the 21st century, prominent Deputy Speakers have included Sir Alan Haselhurst, a long-serving Chairman under Speakers Betty Boothroyd and Michael Martin, and Dame Sylvia Heal. The current officeholders are Dame Eleanor Laing (Chairman), Sir Roger Gale (First Deputy Chairman), and Dame Rosie Winterton (Second Deputy Chairman), who were elected following the 2019 United Kingdom general election.

Distinction from other offices

The Deputy Speakers are distinct from the Speaker, who is the politically impartial presiding officer and representative of the House. They also differ from the Lord Speaker, who presides over the House of Lords, and from the Chairman of Committees in the Lords. Within the Commons, the role is separate from that of the Leader of the House of Commons, a government minister managing parliamentary business, and the Clerk of the House of Commons, the senior permanent official. The Deputy Speakers' authority is also narrower than that of the Speaker, particularly concerning major disciplinary decisions.

Historical development

The office originated from the historic Committee of Ways and Means, a Committee of the whole House concerned with taxation. The chairman of this committee evolved into a permanent deputy to the Speaker. The role was formally recognized with the title Chairman of Ways and Means in 1902 by the Speaker, William Court Gully, 1st Viscount Selby. The positions of First and Second Deputy Chairman were established later, with the modern tripartite structure solidified in the post-World War II period. Reforms under Speakers such as Bernard Weatherill and Betty Boothroyd professionalized the duties and expanded the Chairman's Panel to assist with the increasing workload of the House.

Category:House of Commons (United Kingdom) Category:Chairs of legislative chambers Category:British political offices