Modernisation Committee — hearing of 23 June 2026: transcript & video · Polyfact

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Modernisation Committee

23 June 2026

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Contents updated on 23 Jun 2026

The Chair and witnesses examine whether Backbench Business debates should move away from Thursdays, consider effects on attendance, votable motions and use of Westminster Hall, and then discuss shifting from sessional to monthly allocations while balancing flexibility, standing orders and the role of the usual channels.

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Backbench Business timing and allocation model

13:26

Opening of session and focus on Thursdays

13:26

Experts: Thursday debates, turnout and votable motions

14:42

Paul Evans: alternative days and shorter debates

19:09

Chair: from Thursdays to total BBBC days

22:01

Petitions debates: chamber vs Westminster Hall

26:51

Petitions Committee debates — qualitative chamber allocation

26:51

Witnesses: Westminster Hall vs chamber for petitions

31:25

Paul Evans: using BBBC and adjournments for petitions

34:58

Urgent questions and statements — impact on parliamentary time

38:05

Urgent questions — growth and topicality

38:05

Evans and Fleming — UQs and statements squeezing business

41:35

Petitions, petitioners and use of Westminster Hall

44:50

Cat Smith: petitioners, topicality and system flexibility

44:50

Chamber vs Westminster Hall — impact and participation

47:42

Westminster Hall — proposal for BBBC control of ballot slots

51:36

Backbench scheduling, chamber criteria and debate duration

55:59

2010 Backbench Committee model, waiting lists and Speaker influence

55:59

Chamber time for petitions — qualitative criteria and oversubscription

59:54

Backbench debates and front-bench speaking time

01:02:57

Debate lengths — 30, 60 and 90 minutes

01:04:58

Speaker’s ballot, impartiality concerns and managing debate demand

01:05:47

Speaker’s ballot in Westminster Hall — impartiality and ‘modified’ ballot

01:05:47

Managing high demand for Backbench and Petitions debates

01:07:18

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Modernisation Committee

23 June 2026

Modernisation Committee Tue, 23 Jun 2026 Actual start 11:30 House of Commons

13:25 - 14:42

Speaker 1

Thank you and welcome to today's session of the Modernisation Committee.

This is the third oral evidence session for the Committee's inquiry into Backbench Business Committee and the Petitions Committee debates in the wider context of how we use time in the Commons. And I'm delighted to welcome a panel of experts and academics today. Welcome to Sir David Natzler, former Clerk of the House of Commons and Clerk to the House of Commons Reform Committee. Welcome, David. Paul Evans, former Clerk of the Committees in the House of Commons and former Clerk of the Backbench Business Committee, who is joining us online.

Welcome, Paul. Dr. Louise Thompson, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Manchester. Welcome. And Tom Fleming, Associate Professor at the UCL Department of Political Science and Deputy Director, UCL Constitution Unit. Very welcome indeed.

Thank you for giving us your time. I want to talk a little bit about the allocation of time first and ask you whether in your view Backbench Business Committee should be allocated more time on days which are not a Thursday and what impact you think this might have. Who wants to go first? Tom?

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