Debate on the contribution of women to the economy
4 March 2014
On Thursday 6 March, MPs took part in a general debate on the contribution of women to the economy, in Westminster Hall. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following representations from Mrs Caroline Spelman, Fiona Mactaggart, Dame Anne Begg, Robert Buckland and Margaret Ritchie.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
- Watch Parliament TV: Debate on the contribution of women to the economy
- Read Commons Hansard: Debate on the contribution of women to the economy
How the subject was selected
Mrs Caroline Spelman, Fiona Mactaggart, Dame Anne Begg, Robert Buckland and Margaret Ritchie made a representation for this debate at the public meeting of the Backbench Business Committee on 28 January.
- Parliament TV: Backbench Business Committee on 28 January 2014
- Transcript of oral evidence heard on 28 January 2014
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.