The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir Alan Campbell)
I beg to move,
That Standing Order No. 22D (Select committee statements) be amended in paragraph (3), by leaving out “5 sitting days” and inserting “10 sitting days”.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)
With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:
Motion 18—Backbench Business Committee—
That, from the start of the next Session, the following changes be made to Public Business Standing Orders:
(1) Standing Order No. 122D (Election of Chair of Backbench Business Committee) shall be amended by:
(i) leaving out sub-paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) and inserting:
(a) The election of the chair of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place at the start of the Parliament on the day of the ballots for election of select committee chairs under Standing Order No. 122B (Election of select committee chairs).
(b) Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House by 5.00 pm on the day before the ballot, and the Speaker shall have power to vary these timings.
(ii) leaving out sub-paragraph (1)(g) and inserting:
(g) Arrangements for the election shall follow those set out in paragraphs (9) to (14) of Standing Order No. 122B (Election of select committee chairs) as if those paragraphs applied to chairs elected under this order.
(2) Standing Order No. 152J (Backbench Business Committee) shall be amended:
(i) by adding after paragraph (2):
( ) Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.
(ii) by leaving out in paragraph (3) “remainder of the Session” and inserting “remainder of the Parliament”.
Motion 19—Consequential amendments arising from the Backbench Business Committee motion—
(1) Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) shall be amended by leaving out in paragraph (6) “paragraph (9) of Standing Order No. 152J” and inserting “paragraph (10) of Standing Order No. 152J”; and
(2) Standing Order No. 54 (Consideration of estimates) shall be amended by leaving out in paragraph (1) “paragraph (9) of Standing Order No. 152J” and inserting “paragraph (10) of Standing Order No. 152J”.
Motion 20—Backbench Business Committee: Election of Chair and nomination of members in the 2026-27 Session—
That at the beginning of the next Session:
(i) the election of the chair of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place on a day and at times to be determined by the Speaker, in accordance with paragraphs (1)(b) to (1)(g) of Standing Order No. 122D, and such a day may be fewer than 10 days after the State Opening of Parliament; and
(ii) the Committee of Selection shall table a motion relating to the membership of the Backbench Business Committee after the election of the chair has taken place.
Motion 21—Select Committee chair elections—
That this House notes the Procedure Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2024–26 (HC 535), and endorses paragraphs 109-111 and 114-115 of that Report and the following Rules for Select Committee Chair elections:
Select committee chairs are central figures in carrying out the House’s scrutiny function and are vitally important roles in our parliamentary democracy, with significant responsibilities and weight both within and outside the House. Members of Parliament and the public have the right to expect that the elections for these posts will be conducted fairly and in a way that safeguards and enhances the reputation of the House.
Members seeking to stand in elections held under Standing Order No. 122B (Election of select committee chairs) or No. 122D (Election of Chair of Backbench Business Committee) should follow the requirements set down in these Rules. To demonstrate their commitment to the Rules, they should signify that they have read and will abide by these Rules as part of their supporting statement when submitting their nomination form. Members engaging in campaigning activity before officially submitting their nomination should equally ensure that they act within these Rules.
By standing for election as a candidate for a select committee chair position, all candidates agree to the following restrictions on their campaigning activities:
1. The production and distribution of any printed campaign material, other than the booklet of candidate statements produced by the House Administration, is prohibited.
2. The use of mass electronic communications, such as mass emails, calendar invitations or messages, or unsolicited addition to groups on any messaging platform, for campaigning purposes, is prohibited.
3. Respect for colleagues’ protected time for constituency activities and private life is paramount. Any campaign activity outside the working week (Monday to Friday) and reasonable business hours (8am to 8pm) is prohibited, including any campaign activity when the House is in recess.
4. Campaigning activities in the immediate vicinity of the polling place on the day of the election are prohibited.
Candidates and prospective candidates can expect the electorate to take a dim view of any breach of the provisions of these Rules and of the damage done to the reputation of the House by any such breach.
Sir Alan Campbell
I have brought forward a number of motions today to facilitate implementation of recent recommendations of the Backbench Business Committee and the Procedure Committee. I thank both Committees for their recent reports on these matters, and I will briefly speak about the motions. Members should note that the explanatory notes are also available in the Vote Office.
First, I will deal with Select Committee statements. Currently, a Select Committee statement must be made within five sitting days of publication of the report or announcement of the inquiry. The Backbench Business Committee recommended in its 15th anniversary report that Select Committee statements under Standing Order No. 22D should instead be allowed to take place 10 sitting days after publication of the report or announcement of an inquiry. Select Committee statements have increased in popularity in recent years, and the Government agreed with the Committee in its recommendation. The motion therefore asks the House to amend the Standing Order to enact that change.
Let me now turn to the motions relating to the operation of the Backbench Business Committee. Both that Committee, in its 15th anniversary report, and the Procedure Committee, in its report on elections in the House of Commons, proposed that the members and Chair of the Backbench Business Committee should be elected in line with those of all other elected Select Committees, namely for the whole Parliament rather than for each Session. While the Backbench Business Committee does have unique powers in scheduling business on the Floor of the House, the Government recognise that its operation is well established, and that its reappointment at the beginning of each Session can cause delays in the scheduling of Backbench Business. The Government have therefore accepted that recommendation, and the relevant motions contain proposals to make the change ahead of the next Session, with a few consequential changes.
The Government propose, as far as is possible, alignment of nomination periods and ballot timings for the Backbench Business Committee with those of other Select Committee Chairs. No other arrangements relating to the election of the Backbench Business Committee Chair—for example, signature requirements for candidates or parties eligible to stand for the position—have been amended. However, as the current Chair and members have been appointed only on a sessional basis, the Committee is still required to be re-elected at the beginning of the next Session to allow the Chair and members to be appointed for the remainder of this Parliament. As ever, the Government will endeavour to ensure that the Committee can be re-established in good time in the new parliamentary Session. A further motion has been tabled that sets out the arrangements for the election of the Chair and the appointment of Committee members at the beginning of the next Session to ensure clarity in the arrangements for setting up the Committee in the transition Session.
The final motion relates to the election of Select Committee Chairs, and follows the recent report from the Procedure Committee. Its inquiry recommended that rules be adopted for Select Committee Chair elections to limit campaigning activity and the time during which campaigning can take place. Paragraphs 109 to 111 and 114 to 115 of the Committee’s report explain how the rules should be adhered to. The Government accept the Committee’s recommendation, and the motion asks the House to endorse the rules.
I thank the Backbench Business Committee and the Procedure Committee for their consideration of these matters and look forward to continuing to work with them across a number of areas, both as Leader of the House of Commons and as Chair of the Modernisation Committee. I hope that Members will support the motions, and I commend them to the House.
Sir Alan Campbell
I thank all Members for their contribution to today’s debate. I thank the shadow Minister for her kind words; I agree that the changes are eminently sensible.
The Chair of the Procedure Committee does a fantastic job. We work closely with her Committee and the Modernisation Committee. I thank her and all Procedure Committee members for their important work. I welcome the changes to campaigning. I think that Members will be relieved to know that, once we are into the campaigning season, there will be limits to what campaigning can be done. I thank the Procedure Committee Chair for that; it is eminently sensible.
The Chair of the Backbench Business Committee asked why different rules applied to his Committee, and suggested that it might have been because of the awkward squad on his side of the House. I could not possibly comment on that, but I remember those days. Given the good job that he does, things now are less awkward and more respected. I said to him that I would bring forward these motions, and I have. As for his final remarks, it is better late than never, I suppose.
I thank the hon. Gentleman and his Committee for their important work; again, it works closely with the Modernisation Committee. We will take forward a piece of work on how we spend our time in this Chamber. We can learn lessons from people such as the hon. Gentleman and the experience that he brings.
To finish, I want to clear that in the changes that we make, including to Backbench Business Committee time and petitions, I want to be seen as a champion of the rights of Back Benchers. It is really important that they should have the opportunity to have their voices heard. Long may that continue. I hope that Members will support the motions today, and I commend them to the House.
Question put and agreed to.
Backbench Business Committee
Ordered,
That, from the start of the next Session, the following changes be made to Public Business Standing Orders:
(1) Standing Order No. 122D (Election of Chair of Backbench Business Committee) shall be amended by:
(i) leaving out sub-paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) and inserting:
(a) The election of the chair of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place at the start of the Parliament on the day of the ballots for election of select committee chairs under Standing Order No. 122B (Election of select committee chairs).
(b) Nominations of candidates shall be in writing and shall be received by the Clerk of the House by 5.00 pm on the day before the ballot, and the Speaker shall have power to vary these timings.
(ii) leaving out sub-paragraph (1)(g) and inserting:
(g) Arrangements for the election shall follow those set out in paragraphs (9) to (14) of Standing Order No. 122B (Election of select committee chairs) as if those paragraphs applied to chairs elected under this order.
(2) Standing Order No. 152J (Backbench Business Committee) shall be amended:
(i) by adding after paragraph (2):
( ) Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.
(ii) by leaving out in paragraph (3) “remainder of the Session” and inserting “remainder of the Parliament”.—(Gen Kitchen.)
Consequential Amendments arising from the Backbench Business Committee Motion
Ordered,
(1) Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business) shall be amended by leaving out in paragraph (6) “paragraph (9) of Standing Order No. 152J” and inserting “paragraph (10) of Standing Order No. 152J”; and
(2) Standing Order No. 54 (Consideration of estimates) shall be amended by leaving out in paragraph (1) “paragraph (9) of Standing Order No. 152J” and inserting “paragraph (10) of Standing Order No. 152J”.—(Sir Alan Campbell.)
Backbench Business Committee: Election of Chair and Nomination of Members in the 2026-27 Session
Ordered,
That at the beginning of the next Session:
(i) the election of the chair of the Backbench Business Committee shall take place on a day and at times to be determined by the Speaker, in accordance with paragraphs (1)(b) to (1)(g) of Standing Order No. 122D, and such a day may be fewer than 10 days after the State Opening of Parliament; and
(ii) the Committee of Selection shall table a motion relating to the membership of the Backbench Business Committee after the election of the chair has taken place.—(Sir Alan Campbell.)
Select Committee Chair Elections
Ordered,
That this House notes the Procedure Committee’s Fifth Report of Session 2024–26 (HC 535), and endorses paragraphs 109-111 and 114-115 of that Report and the following Rules for Select Committee Chair elections:
Select committee chairs are central figures in carrying out the House’s scrutiny function and are vitally important roles in our parliamentary democracy, with significant responsibilities and weight both within and outside the House. Members of Parliament and the public have the right to expect that the elections for these posts will be conducted fairly and in a way that safeguards and enhances the reputation of the House.
Members seeking to stand in elections held under Standing Order No. 122B (Election of select committee chairs) or No. 122D (Election of Chair of Backbench Business Committee) should follow the requirements set down in these Rules. To demonstrate their commitment to the Rules, they should signify that they have read and will abide by these Rules as part of their supporting statement when submitting their nomination form. Members engaging in campaigning activity before officially submitting their nomination should equally ensure that they act within these Rules.
By standing for election as a candidate for a select committee chair position, all candidates agree to the following restrictions on their campaigning activities:
1. The production and distribution of any printed campaign material, other than the booklet of candidate statements produced by the House Administration, is prohibited.
2. The use of mass electronic communications, such as mass emails, calendar invitations or messages, or unsolicited addition to groups on any messaging platform, for campaigning purposes, is prohibited.
3. Respect for colleagues’ protected time for constituency activities and private life is paramount. Any campaign activity outside the working week (Monday to Friday) and reasonable business hours (8am to 8pm) is prohibited, including any campaign activity when the House is in recess.
4. Campaigning activities in the immediate vicinity of the polling place on the day of the election are prohibited.
Candidates and prospective candidates can expect the electorate to take a dim view of any breach of the provisions of these Rules and of the damage done to the reputation of the House by any such breach.—(Sir Alan Campbell.)
Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)
The House will now suspend pending the arrival of Lords messages. I will cause the Division bells to ring five minutes before the sitting resumes.