Frequently Asked Questions: Business
Useful information about sittings, motions, bills and divisions in the UK House of Commons.
What are the sitting (meeting) hours of the House of Commons?
Mondays 2.30-10.30pm
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11.30am-7.30pm
Thursdays 9.30am-5.30pm
Sitting Fridays 9.30am-3pm
What are the sitting (meeting) hours for Westminster Hall debates?
Mondays 4.30pm-7.30pm
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9.30-11.30am and 2.30-5.30pm
Thursdays 12.30pm*-3.30pm
Sittings in Westminster Hall take place on Mondays only if the Petitions Committee has agreed that one or more petitions or e-petitions should be considered on that day.
*On 25 March 2024, the House agreed that Thursday sittings in Westminster Hall should start at the earlier time of 12.30pm, rather than 1:30pm, for the remainder of this Parliament.
When will the House of Commons sit on a Friday in the 2024-25 session?
The House will sit on the following thirteen Fridays to consider Private Members' Bills:
- 29 November 2024
- 6 December 2024
- 17 January 2025
- 24 January 2025
- 7 March 2025
- 14 March 2025
- 28 March 2025
- 25 April 2025
- 16 May 2025
- 13 June 2025
- 20 June 2025
- 4 July 2025
- 11 July 2025
When did the House of Commons sit on a Friday in the 2023-24 session?
The House sat on the following ten Fridays to consider Private Members' Bills:
- 19 January 2024
- 26 January 2024
- 2 February 2024
- 23 February 2024
- 1 March 2024
- 15 March 2024
- 22 March 2024
- 19 April 2024
- 26 April 2024
- 17 May 2024
In addition, the House sat on Friday 24 May 2024, where government business took precedence, prior to prorogation.
Dates of sitting Fridays in previous sessions can be found in the House of Commons Sessional Returns.
When is the next recess?
Find current recess dates for the House of Commons at:
How many days did the House of Commons sit (meet) during the last Session?
The House sat on 213 days in the 2022-23 session. Prior to that, the House met on:
- 152 days in the 2021-22 session
- 205 days in the 2019-21 session
- 15 days in the short 2019 session
- 349 days in the long 2017-19 session
How long did the House of Commons sit in total during the last Session?
The House sat for a total of 1,556 hours and 30 minutes in the 2022-23 session, and:
- 1,245 hours and 22 minutes in the 2021-22 session
- 1,703 hours in the 2019-21 session
- 116 hours and 58 minutes in the short 2019 session
- 2,607 hours and 35 minutes in the long 2017-19 session
How long did the House of Commons sit each day on average during the last Session?
The average sitting day lasted 7 hours and 18 minutes in the 2022-23 session, and:
- 7 hours and 37 minutes in the 2021-22 session
- 7 hours and 53 minutes in the 2019-21 session
- 8 hours and 26 minutes in the 2019 session
How many Early Day Motions (EDMs) were there during the last session?
In the 2023-24 session there were 802 EDMs.
Which EDM holds the record for the largest number of signatures?
Malcolm Savidge's EDM on the need to avoid conflict between India and Pakistan gained 502 signatures (2001-02).
How many divisions (votes) were there during the last session?
In the 2023-24 session there were 160 divisions in the Commons.
How much time do MPs have to vote when a division is called?
Eight minutes
When was the House of Commons first broadcast live?
First live radio broadcast on 3 April 1978. First live television broadcast on 21 November 1989.
How often has the House of Commons sat for over 24 hours continuously?
21 times since 1877
Can the House of Commons sit (meet) on a Saturday?
Although it is possible, weekend sittings are very rare. The last time the House sat at a weekend on both the Saturday and the Sunday was on the outbreak of war in 1939. Saturday sittings since 1939 have taken place on:
30 July 1949 - Summer adjournment debates – last sitting of the summer
3 November 1956 - Suez Crises
3 April 1982 - Falkland Islands invasion
19 October 2019 - EU Withdrawal Agreement
10 September 2022 - Tributes to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
How many Government Bills were successful in the last session?
18 Government Bills were successful in the 2023-24 session.
In the 2022-23 session, 43 were successful in total.
How many Private Members' Bills were successful in the last session?
5 Private Members' Bills were successful in the 2023-24 session.
24 were successful in the 2022-23 session.
- Glossary: Private Members Bills
- About Parliament: Private Members' Bills
- Successful Private Members' Bills since 1983
When is the ballot for Private Members' Bills?
The ballot for Private Members' Bills takes place on the second sitting Thursday after State Opening, unless otherwise agreed. The ballot in the 2024-25 session took place on Thursday 5 September 2024, the third sitting Thursday of the session, as agreed to on Monday 22 July 2024.
The formal presentation (First Reading) of ballot bills in the 2024-25 session will take place on Wednesday 16 October 2024.
In the 2023-24 session, the Private Members' Bills ballot took place on Thursday 16 November and the formal presentation (First Reading) of ballot bills took place on Wednesday 6 December 2023.
Can MPs successful in the ballot claim any extra allowances?
Yes. The ten MPs placed highest in the ballot may claim up to £200 expenses in drafting their Bills.