North West round-up: 18 December 2009
17 December 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
Parliamentary business relating to the North West region for the week ending 18 December 2009
Ministerial statements
- Commons Hansard: Railway modernisation in the North West
- Commons Hansard: Hillsborough disaster (creation of independent panel)
- Commons Hansard: Liverpool cruise terminal
Government ministers can make written statements to Parliament as well as oral statements. Oral statements often address major incidents, policies and actions. Written ministerial statements are normally used to put the day-to-day business of government on the official record and in the public domain.
Written questions
- Commons Hansard: Expenditure on public transport in Manchester and Merseyside
- Commons Hansard: Sexual health campaigns in Greater Manchester
In addition to oral questions, MPs and Peers can ask government ministers questions for written answer. These are often used to obtain detailed information about policies and statistics on the activities of government departments.
Petitions
The public can petition the House of Commons to make MPs aware of their opinion on an issue and to request action.
Petitioning is a formal process involving sending a written appeal to an MP, following a set format, which is then presented to the Commons by the MP. The text of the petition is published in Hansard.
Early Day Motions
Early Day Motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few EDMs are actually debated. Instead, they are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, drawing attention to specific events or campaigns, and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.
North West Select Committee
- Call for evidence: Future of the Nuclear Industry in the North West
- More on the North West Select Committee
The North West Committee covers the following local government areas: Blackburn and Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton, Bury, Cheshire, Cumbria, Halton, Knowsley, Lancashire, Liverpool, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, St Helens, Salford, Sefton, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Warrington, Wigan and Wirral.
The remit of the Committee is to examine regional strategies and the work of regional bodies. The Committee has previously reported on the impact of the current economic situation on the North West.