David Foster

My understanding of procedure - someone cleverer than me correct me if I'm wrong - was that in the event of a tie Speaker had to go with status quo option.

Health warning on that. It is one of the things in my head that I am not sure how it got in there.

Point of order from Patrick McLoughlin. "Perhaps Mr Speaker you could possibly inform the House as to what is happening."

Bercow: "There was a degree of uncertainty." He asked chief whips to confer. Indicated it should be brief.

Yes, so precedent, which is not what it used to be in these things, suggests Speaker should vote against an amendment if he has deciding vote.

Ayes 310 Noes 310

That's so indicative vote.

Bercow casts vote with Noes.