Commons Committee stage: Recall of MPs Bill
3 November 2014
MPs continued debate of the Recall of MPs Bill in the House of Commons, in the second day of consideration by a Committee of the whole House, on Monday 3 November 2014. Day one of consideration took place on Monday 27 October 2014.
The report stage and third reading of the Bill will take place on a date to be announced.
Committee of the whole House, day two: 3 November 2014
- Watch Parliament TV: Recall of MPs Bill, Committee of the whole House: Day Two
- Read Commons Hansard: Recall of MPs Bill, Committee of the whole House Day Two
- Read current Parliamentary material in Topics: Members of Parliament
Committee of the whole House, day one: 27 October 2014
- Watch Parliament TV: Recall of MPs Bill, Committee of the whole House: Day One
- Read Commons Hansard: Recall of MPs Bill, Committee of the whole House: Day One
- Catch up on Parliament News: Second reading: Recall of MPs Bill
Related information
Summary of the Recall of MPs Bill
The Bill provides for a recall petition to be triggered if a Member is sentenced to a prison term or is suspended from the House for at least 21 sitting days. If either occurred, the Speaker would give notice to a petition officer, who in turn would give notice to parliamentary electors in the constituency.
A petition would then be open for signing for eight weeks. If at the end of that period at least 10 per cent of eligible electors had signed the petition, the seat would be declared vacant and a by-election would follow. The Member who was recalled could stand in the by-election.
The Bill also introduces rules on the conduct of the recall petition, including campaign spending limits for those supporting and opposing recalling the Member.
Progress of the Bill
The Bill had its second reading debate on 21 October 2014. The Bill was presented to Parliament on 11 September 2014. Consideration of the Bill by a Committee of the whole House began on Monday 27 October.
Today's Programme No 2 Motion was agreed to, so consideration by a Committee of the whole House took place over two days, Monday 27 October and Monday 3 November.
The first programme motion also schedules the report and third reading stages to take place over one day (so far as not previously concluded).
Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers, on the Recall of MPs Bill and find out how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
- Follow Bills before Parliament: Recall of MPs Bill
- Read Commons Hansard: Programme motion: Recall of MPs Bill
- Find out more about Parliament: Passage of a Bill
House of Commons Library analysis
The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs and their staff of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial.
The Library has published the following briefing paper for the Bill:
What happens at a Committee of the whole House?
When a bill passes its second reading and is considered in detail, this usually takes place in a Public Bill Committee held outside the Chamber and made up of between 16 and 20 MPs.
Occasionally a bill will be considered by a Committee of the whole House and this discussion tales place in the Chamber itself, where all MPs can take part.
Any bill can be referred to a Committee of the whole House, but the procedure is normally reserved for finance bills and other important or controversial legislation.
What happens next?
The report and third reading stages are scheduled to take place over one day (so far as not previously concluded), following the Committee of the whole House stage, on a date to be announced.
Watching debates from the public gallery
UK residents and overseas visitors can watch proceedings in the House of Commons by visiting the public gallery.
This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow the @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.