MPs to debate defence spending
12 March 2015
On Thursday 12 March, MPs took part in a debate on a motion on defence spending. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee. The Members in charge for this debate are Mr John Baron, Paul Flynn, Mr James Clappison, Mr Philip Hollobone, Jim Shannon and Jack Lopresti.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
The debate was opened by Mr John Baron, Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay at 11.46am, following the Ministerial Statement on the UK's response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
- Watch Parliament TV: MPs debate defence spending, Thursday 12 March 2015
- Read Commons Hansard: MPs debate defence spending, Thursday 12 March 2015
Text of the motion
MPs will debate the motion
"That this House believes that defence spending should be set to a minimum of two per cent of GDP in accordance with the UK’s NATO commitment."
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.