Backbench debates announced for 25, 27 February

The Committee has determined that the following business will take place in backbench time:

Tuesday 25 February in the Chamber

• General debate on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (Members in charge: John Healey, Guto Bebb) (following the main business)

Thursday 27 February in the Chamber

• Debate on a motion relating to the effects of welfare reform on sick and disabled people (Members in charge: John McDonnell and Grahame M. Morris)
  This debate relates to the e-petition on the effects of welfare reform on disabled people.
• Debate on a motion relating to Parliamentary representation (Members in charge: Dame Anne Begg and Margot James)

Thursday 27 February in Westminster Hall

• General debate on patient rights and access to NHS data (Members in charge George Freeman)

Bids for debate received on 11 February meeting

At its public meeting on Tuesday 11 February the Committee heard representations from the following:

• Jesse Norman and Martin Vickers for a debate on the future of non-league football.
• Sir Robert Smith, Sir Malcolm Bruce, and Fiona O’Donnell for a debate on the security situation for Afghan women.

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