MPs debate welfare reforms and poverty
10 January 2014
MPs took part in debate on a motion relating to welfare reforms and poverty on Monday 13 January in the House of Commons Chamber. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following representation from Mr Michael Meacher and Sir Peter Bottomley.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
The debate was opened by Mr Michael Meacher.
- Watch Parliament TV: Debate on welfare reforms and poverty
- Read Commons Hansard: Debate on welfare reforms and poverty
Text of motion
The text of the motion, in the name of Mr Michael Meacher, was as follows:
"That this House believes that a commission of inquiry should be established to investigate the impact of the Government’s welfare reforms on the incidence of poverty."
At the end of the debate, the House divided. The motion was agreed to on division (Ayes 125, Noes 2).
How the subject was selected
This debate was selected by the Backbench Business Committee following a representation from Mr Michael Meacher and Sir Peter Bottomley at the public meeting on Tuesday 26 November.
- Parliament TV: Backbench Business Committee on 26 November 2013
- Transcript of oral evidence heard on 26 November 2013
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.