Debate announced on Modern Day slavery

Thursday 5 December in the Chamber

• General debate on modern day slavery (Members in charge: Fiona Mactaggart, Frank Field)

Rural Communities debate - awaiting date

Due to the scheduling of an Opposition debate on business rates on 4 December, the debate on Rural Communities will now be scheduled for debate at a later date.

This subject was originally scheduled for debate on 4 December, following a bid from Anne McIntosh, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.

Bids for debates

At its public meeting on Tuesday 26 November, the Committee heard representations from the following:

• Michael Meacher and Sir Peter Bottomley for a debate on welfare reforms and poverty
• Geraint Davies for a debate relating to Ford UK (duty of care to Visteon pensioners).

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.

Further Information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• How the Backbench Business Committee works