Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

Bob Blackman Excerpts
Thursday 31st October 2024

(4 days, 18 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lindsay Hoyle Portrait Mr Speaker
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I call the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee.

Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
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The good news is that the Backbench Business Committee will be meeting on Tuesday. We are open for business, and a steady series of applications has started, particularly from one of our long-term season ticket holders. We are going to be open for requests for 90-minute or half-day debates; it would be very exceptional for us to grant a full day’s debate. We are also going to keep a very close eye on whether those people who make or support applications actually turn up and speak in the debates that are allocated. We had a very good meeting with the Leader of the House earlier this week, and I am looking forward to her announcing time for the Backbench Business Committee to allocate debates.

Mr Speaker, you have very graciously granted us the use of Speaker’s House for the Diwali reception on Monday, for which we thank you. To Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, I wish Shubh Deepavali for today, and Nutan Varshabhinandan for Saturday.

Lucy Powell Portrait Lucy Powell
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I, too, welcome the formation of the Backbench Business Committee, and I welcome the conversations we have begun to ensure that we work together on the allocation of time for Backbench Business debates and others that may be granted by the Government. On the application from the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon), I am sure he will definitely be in attendance for that debate, should the Committee grant it. There is no question about that, and I expect it will be on the freedom of religion or belief, which is a common theme of his questions in these sessions.

I join the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) in wishing everybody a happy Diwali.