MPs debate International Women's Day
5 March 2015
On Thursday 5 March, MPs will take part in a general debate relating to International Women’s Day (which takes place on 8 March). This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee. The Members in charge for this debate are Maria Miller, Mrs Caroline Spelman and Jessica Lee.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
The debate will be opened by Maria Miller, Conservative MP for Basingstoke, between 11.15 and 11.30am.
Transcripts of proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber are available three hours after they happen in Today’s Commons Debates.
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays 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.