During times when the House of Commons is not sitting, the Speaker can, if asked by the Government, decide to recall the House of Commons. The House of Lords is usually recalled by the Lord Speaker at the same time as the House of Commons.
Recall of Parliament
Both Houses of Parliament were last recalled on 11 August 2011 to debate public disorder. The House of Commons was previously recalled on 20 July 2011 to debate public confidence in the media. You can view at a list of recent recalls of Parliament on the Business FAQs: recall of Parliament.
Government's role
When the House is not sitting, for example at the weekend, or during a recess, the Government can ask the Speaker to recall the House of Commons. They might do this because of events of major national importance.
In the past, the Commons has been recalled because of events such as the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982 or the terrorist attacks in the USA in 2001.
Speaker's role
When the Speaker of the House of Commons receives a request from the Government to recall the House of Commons, he must decide whether it is in the public interest to agree to that request.
If the Speaker agrees to the request, he will then decide what day or days the House should sit during the recall.
The Speaker cannot decide to recall the House of Commons without being asked to do so by the Government.
Recall of the House of Lords
The Lord Speaker has the power to recall the House of Lords following consultation with the Government. The House of Lords is usually recalled at the same time as the House of Commons.