Debate on Ministerial statements
6 December 2011
The Backbench Business Committee scheduled a debate on 5 December 2011 on Ministerial Statements.
The Backbench Business Committee scheduled this debate to enable Members to consider the recommendations of the Procedure Committee Report on Ministerial statements to Parliament.
The motion was negatived on a division (Ayes 119; Noes 228).
Watch the session and read a transcript
- Parliament TV: Motion relating to Ministerial Statements
- Commons Hansard: Motion relating to Ministerial Statements
Procedure Committee Report on Ministerial Statements
Read the Procedure Committee Report on Ministerial Statements and the Government's response.
- Procedure Committee Report on Ministerial Statements
- Government response to the Procedure Committee Report on Ministerial Statements
How this subject was selected
The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee. The Backbench Business Committee has scheduled this debate to enable Members to consider the recommendations of the Procedure Committee Report on Ministerial statements to Parliament.
The committee chose this subject because the disclosure of information on key policy announcements to the media before its announcement in Parliament by present and previous administrations has affected the work of backbenchers in holding the Government to account. The motion was tabled by Mr Philip Hollobone, member of the Backbench Business Committee.
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee meets every week to consider requests for debates from any backbench Members of Parliament on any subject.
The committee then has to decide how to allocate the very limited Parliamentary time it has at its disposal; demand always outstrips supply. The committee's meetings are always conducted in public and can be watched on Parliament TV.