What are the sitting (meeting) hours of the House of Commons?
2.30-10.30pm on Mondays, 11.30am-7.30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9.30am-5.30pm on Thursdays and 9.30am-3pm on sitting Fridays.
What are the sitting (meeting) hours for Westminster Hall debates?
4.30pm-7.30pm on Westminster Hall sitting Mondays, 9.30-11.30am and 2.30-5pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 1.30pm-4.30pm on Thursdays.
On the 17 July 2012 the House of Commons agreed that there could be sittings in Westminster Hall on a Monday, during sitting weeks, from 4.30pm for up to 3 hours. These sittings will only occur when the Backbench Business Committee decides that one should be held and may be used only for debates about e-petitions that have been brought by an MP to the Backbench Business Committee, having attracted over 100,000 signatures on the Government’s e-petitions website.
These Monday sittings are in addition to the 35 days currently allowed for backbench business.
When will the House of Commons sit on a Friday during the 2012/13 session?
The Leader of the House has announced the following sitting Fridays for the session 2012-13:
- 6 July 2012
- 13 July 2012
- 7 September 2012
- 14 September 2012
- 19 October 2012
- 26 October 2012
- 2 November 2012
- 9 November 2012
- 30 November 2012
- 18 January 2013
- 25 January 2013
- 1 February 2013
- 1 March 2013
When was the State Opening of Parliament for the 2012/13 session?
Wednesday 9 May 2012
When is the next recess?
The House will rise on Tuesday 26 March 2013 and will return on Monday 15 April 2013.
How many days did the House of Commons sit (meet) during the 2010-12 Session?
296 days in the 2010-12 session
How long did the House of Commons sit in total during the 2010-12 Session?
2342 hours and 25 minutes in the 2010-12 session
How long did the House of Commons sit each day on average during the 2010-12 Session?
7 hours and 57 minutes in the 2010-12 session
How many Early Day Motions (EDMs) were there during the last session?
3024 in the 2010-12 session
What is the average cost of an Early Day Motion (EDM)?
£290 (estimated figure for 2005-06).
Which EDM holds the record for the largest number of signatures?
Malcolm Savidge's EDM on the need to avoid conflict between India and Pakistan gained 502 signatures (2001-02).
How many divisions (votes) were there during the last session?
544 in the 2010-12 session.
How much time do MPs have to vote when a division is called?
Eight minutes
What is the cost of answering a parliamentary question?
Oral question costs £450 on average Written question costs £164 on average
When was the House of Commons first broadcast live?
First live radio broadcast on 3 April 1978 First live television broadcast on 21 November 1989.
How often has the House of Commons been recalled?
25 times since 1948
How often has the House of Commons sat for over 24 hours continuously?
21 times since 1877
Can the House of Commons sit (meet) on a Saturday?
Although it is possible, weekend sittings are very rare. The House has only sat on four Saturdays since 1939.
2 September 1939 - Outbreak of World War II
30 July 1949 - Summer adjournment debates – last sitting of the summer
3 November 1956 - Suez Crises
3 April 1982 - Falklands Islands invasion
How many Government Bills were successful in the last session?
43 in the 2010-12 session
How many Private Members Bills were successful in the last session?
7 in the 2010-12 session
When was the ballot for Private Members Bills?
The ballot for the 2012/13 session was held on Thursday 17 May 2012.
The formal presentation of ballot Bills for the 2012-13 session took place in the House of Commons on Wednesday 20 June 2012.
Can MPs successful in the ballot claim any extra allowances?
Yes. The ten MPs placed highest in the ballot may claim up to £200 expenses in drafting their Bills.