The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays at 3pm to hear representations from MPs for debates in backbench time. This is the first business committee of any kind to be established by the House and gives an opportunity to backbench Members to bring forward debates of their choice.
The committee can consider any subject for debate, including those raised in e-petitions or national campaigns but an MP must make the case for their consideration.
The Government decides which days of the week will be given to the Backbench Business Committee for its debates and the amount of time available varies each month. The committee has limited time to schedule for debates and it is not possible to allocate debates on all the subjects suggested.