MPs debated destruction of historic sites in Syria and Iraq
12 February 2015
On Thursday 12 February, MPs took part in a general debate on destruction and looting of historic sites in Syria and Iraq. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following a bid from Robert Jenrick, Conservative MP for Newark.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
Robert Jenrick opened the debate. Shadow Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Minister, Gareth Thomas, responded to the debate for the Opposition. Minister for Europe, David Lidington, replied for the Government.
- Watch Parliament TV: MPs debate destruction and looting of historic sites in Syria and Iraq, 12 February
- Read Commons Hansard: MPs debate looting of historic sites in Syria and Iraq, 12 February
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays at 1pm 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.