Debates on fish discards and on IPSA announced for 12 May
3 May 2011
The Backbench Business Committee is responsible for scheduling debates on 35 days during the current session, at least 27 of which will be debates in the main Chamber of the House of Commons, with the remainder to be taken in Westminster Hall.
The Committee has determined that the following business will take place in backbench time:
Thursday 12 May in the Chamber
Motion relating to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (for approximately two hours) (Member in charge: Adam Afriyie).
The Committee was told that a debate on IPSA was supported by many backbenchers who wished to debate the recent revision of the expenses scheme.
Motion relating to reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (for approximately three hours) (Member in charge: Zac Goldsmith).
The Committee was told that there is significant appetite to debate reform of the Common Fisheries Policy amongst backbenchers on both sides of the House. The Committee heard that a particular concern was the level of fish discards and that an EDM on this subject had attracted over 230 signatures.
Thursday 12 May in Westminster Hall
Education performance (Member in charge: Elizabeth Truss)
The Committee heard that there is broad level of cross party interest in this topic with school standards affecting every constituency; and that previous applications for similar adjournment debates had been unsuccessful.
Tuesday 24 May in the Chamber
General debate on matters to be raised before the forthcoming adjournment.
The Committee has decided that the Whitsun adjournment debate on Tuesday 24 May will follow the format used before Christmas and Easter. Members are invited to apply to speak on a subject of their choice for no more than 10 minutes, specifying from which government department they would like a response. Speeches will be grouped into subject areas and, for the departments with the highest number of applications, the relevant Minister invited to respond to the issues raised. This will be followed by a general debate where Members may raise any issue, for which a response will be provided by the Deputy Leader of the House.
Members should apply to the Table Office to speak in the debate. The deadline for applications is 6pm on Monday 16 May.