Debate on reducing the voting age to 16
24 January 2013
The Backbench Business Committee scheduled a debate in the House of Commons Chamber that was held on Thursday 24 January on reducing the voting age. Stephen Williams MP appeared before the Backbench Business Committee to request this debate
The Motion for debate stated,
"That this House believes that the age of eligibility for voting in all elections and referenda in the United Kingdom should be reduced to 16."
This backbench motion was passed by 119 votes to 46.
Catch up on the debate on reducing the vote age
Watch the debate on Parliament TV and read the views expressed by MPs in Commons Hansard.
- Parliament TV: Debate on reducing the voting age to 16
- Commons Hansard: Debate on reducing the voting age to 16
How the subject was selected
The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee following representations by Stephen Williams on 16 and 23 October 2012.
Stephen Williams made his representation for the debate at the meeting on 23rd October 2012.
- Parliament TV: Backbench Business Committee 23 October 2012
- Uncorrected transcript of oral evidence heard on 23 October 2012
The subject was first proposed by Stephen Williams and Fabian Hamilton on 16 October 2012.
- Parliament TV: Backbench Business Committee 16 October 2012
- Uncorrected transcript of oral evidence heard on 16 October 2012
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.
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
Debate by the UK Youth Parliament
Members of the Youth Parliament debated the subject of reducing the voting age during the sitting of the Youth Parliament in the House of Commons on 30 October 2009.