House Receives Support from CPA to Review Standing Orders

The House of Representatives is receiving significant support from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) to review its Standing Orders.

The Standing Orders are the rules that govern the proceedings, actions and conduct of members in the Chamber.

Addressing the Opening Ceremony for the Orientation of Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday (September 30), Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, advised that the association has been doing a comparison of all the Standing Orders across similar Commonwealth countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom.

“They are coming back with some recommendations for our Standing Orders Committee. It has literally leapfrogged us significantly ahead because we have been able to get significant support in doing research and compilation so that we are ahead of the game when the Standing Orders Committee meets to do a review,” she explained.

Mrs. Holness said the Standing Orders will be world-class, as it will accept best practice from similar institutions.

“We look forward to sharing that with the new Standing Orders Committee, once it is formed, and I would hope that we will be able to speedily get back to the sitting of the entire House with those updates for a vote from the House, on potentially, our new Standing Orders,” she said.