Backbench Business debates in the 2013-14 session
19 May 2014
Over the 2013-14 session, the Backbench Business Committee scheduled debates on a wide variety of issues including on Syria. High Speed Rail, the badger cull, cervical cancer, housing, welfare reform, child protection, defence reform, and the NHS.
A full list of debates over the 2013-14 session is available on the Backbench Business Committee website
E-petition debates
Over the last session, the Committee used its powers to schedule Monday debates in Westminster Hall on e-petitions. Consequently, Members have debated e-petitions relating to Immigration, Welfare reform, age related Tax allowances, extra charges for school holidays and stopping female genital mutilation.
Select Committee report launches
The Backbench Business Committee also allocated time to Committee Chairs to launch their inquiries or reports in the House of Commons Chamber. Political and Constitutional Reform, Local Government, Procedure, European Scrutiny, Liaison, Defence, Work and Pensions, and International Development Committees took up this opportunity.
New Backbench Business Committee for 2014-15 session
Unlike other Select Committees, the Backbench Business Committee needs to be reconstituted in each session, with Members put forward from their parties. The election for the Backbench Business Committee Chair is held shortly after the Queen’s Speech.
Backbench Business Committee
Once the Committee has been re-appointed, 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.