Debate on reforming early-day motions
7 February 2012 (updated on 7 February 2012)
Graham Evans, Conservative MP for Weaver Vale moved an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on Monday 6 February on the early-day motions.
Early-day motions
Early Day Motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few are actually debated. EDMs allow MPs to draw attention to an event or cause. MPs register their support by signing individual motions.
The EDM database contains up-to-date information on the latest EDMs and signatures added to existing EDMs.
Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, David Heath, responded to the debate on behalf of the Government. Watch and read the debate and the views expressed by MPs on Parliament TV and in Commons Hansard.
Adjournment debates
Adjournment debates provide MPs with an opportunity to debate local or national issues and to receive a response from a government Minister. There is a half-hour adjournment debate at the end of each day’s sitting. MPs apply for an adjournment debate to the Speakers Office where a ballot takes place every Thursday.
Adjournment debates allow backbench MPs to hold a general open-ended debate on a subject or a government policy without reaching a formal decision about it.