Backbench debates for 19 December
11 December 2013
The Backbench Business Committee has scheduled backbench debates for 19 December 2013.
The Committee has determined that the following business will take place in backbench time:
Thursday 19 December in the Chamber
- Statement on publication of Transport Committee Report ‘High speed rail: on track?’ (Member in charge: Louise Ellman, Chair of Transport Select Committee)
- Pre-recess Adjournment debate
Thursday 19 December in Westminster Hall
- General debate on immigration from Bulgaria and Romania (Members in charge: Nigel Mills, Mr Peter Bone, Mr Philip Hollobone, Mr David Ruffley, Sammy Wilson)
E-petition on the effects of welfare reform on disabled people
Following a follow-up representation from John McDonnell and Grahame Morris at the Committee’s meeting on 10 December, the Committee has agreed in principle to a debate in the new year relating to the e-petition on the effects of welfare reform on disabled people (“WOW petition”).
Details to follow at a later date. For news and updates follow the Backbench Business Committee on Twitter @CommonsBBCom
Bids for debate received
At its public meeting on Tuesday 10 December the Committee heard, in addition to the bids relating to welfare reform and to immigration from Bulgaria and Romania, representations from the following:
- Robert Flello for a debate in March 2014 on the regulation of the sale of young puppies and kittens. This relates to the e-petition entitled “Ban the sale of young puppies & kittens without their mothers being present”
- Mike Crockart and Alun Cairns for a debate on nuisance calls.
Membership changes
Oliver Colvile and Alec Shelbrooke have been appointed to the Backbench Business Committee. These Member were appointed to the Committee after the meeting on 10 December.
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays at 3pm to consider requests for debates from any backbench Members of Parliament on any subject, including those raised in e-petitions or national campaigns.
An MP must make a representation before the Committee for an e-petition or petition to be debated; e-petitions exceeding the Government's 100,000 signature threshold are not automatically allocated backbench time.
The Committee then has to decide how to allocate the limited Parliamentary time it has at its disposal. The Committee's meetings are always conducted in public and can be watched on Parliament TV.