From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee of the British House of Commons was created on 15 June 2010 through the adoption of a new standing order. It was created soon after 2010 general election, but had been proposed during the previous Parliament by the Wright Committee on Reform of the House of Commons in its report of 12 November 2009.
Remit
The committee is responsible for determining, on behalf of backbench members (i.e., members who are not Ministers of the Crown or shadow ministers), the business before the House for approximately one day each week. This includes Thursday sittings in the parallel debating chamber, known as Westminster Hall, which are considered half days. The amendments to Standing Order 14 give the committee 35 days per session, of which at least 27 are taken on the floor of the House (as opposed to Westminster Hall). The one-and-one-half-hour Topical Debates, which count as quarter days, are also determined by the committee.
Membership
As set out by Standing Order 152, the committee consists of a chair and seven other members to be elected at the beginning of each session. The chair, who must be an opposition member, is elected under the alternative vote method in a manner similar to other select committee chairs. The other members are selected under the single transferable vote method with the stipulation that the eight members (including the chair) reflect a distribution of the seats made by the Speaker, which is to reflect the party composition of the House of Commons. In addition, at least two men and two women must be elected. Ministers of the Crown, Parliamentary Private Secretaries, and 'principal opposition frontbench spokespersons' are prohibited from standing for election as chair or as a member.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP (chair) | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Jonathan Davies MP | Labour | |
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | Lee Dillon MP | Liberal Democrats | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Mary Glindon MP | Labour | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Alison Hume MP | Labour | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Will Stone MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Martin Vickers MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Chris Vince MP | Labour |
Changes since 2024
| Date | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | ||||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| nowrap | 9 December 2024 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) | Aldridge-Brownhills | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Martin Vickers MP (Conservative) | ||
| nowrap | 3 March 2025 | Labour Party (UK)}}" | Jack Abbott MP (Labour) | Ipswich | → | Labour Party (UK)}}" | Jonathan Davies MP (Labour) | ||
| nowrap | 13 November 2025 | Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | Jess Brown-Fuller MP (Liberal Democrats) | Chichester | → | Liberal Democrats}}" | Lee Dillon MP (Liberal Democrats) |
2020–2024 Parliament
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Kevin Foster MP | Conservative | |
| Scottish National Party}}" | Patricia Gibson MP | SNP | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Chris Green MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Nigel Mills MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Wendy Morton MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Kate Osborne MP | Labour |
Changes from 2021–2024
| Date | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | ||||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| nowrap | 2 November 2021 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Gareth Bacon MP (Conservative) | Orpington | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Duncan Baker MP (Conservative) | ||
| 15 March 2022 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Duncan Baker MP (Conservative) | North Norfolk | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Chris Green MP (Conservative) | |||
| David Johnston MP (Conservative) | Wantage | Jerome Mayhew MP (Conservative) | Broadland | ||||||
| nowrap | 3 May 2022 | Independent politician}}" | Imran Ahmad Khan MP (Independent) | Wakefield | → | Vacant | Resignation of member from Parliament | ||
| nowrap | 21 November 2022 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Jerome Mayhew MP (Conservative) | Broadland | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) |
2020 election
The chair was elected on 27 January 2020, with members being announced on 2 March 2020.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Nickie Aiken MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Fiona Bruce MP | Conservative | |
| Scottish National Party}}" | Patricia Gibson MP | SNP | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Nigel Mills MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Lia Nici MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Claudia Webbe MP | Labour |
Changes 2020-2021
| Date | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | ||||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| nowrap | 20 July 2020 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Nickie Aiken MP (Conservative) | Cities of London and Westminster | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Gareth Bacon MP (Conservative) | ||
| nowrap | 18 January 2021 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Fiona Bruce MP (Conservative) | Congleton | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Imran Ahmad Khan MP (Conservative) | ||
| nowrap | 1 March 2021 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Lia Nici MP (Conservative) | Great Grimsby | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | David Johnston MP (Conservative) |
2017 election
The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with members being announced on 11 September 2017.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Rehman Chishti MP | Conservative | |
| Scottish National Party}}" | Patricia Gibson MP | SNP | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Jess Phillips MP | Labour | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Alex Sobel MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | William Wragg MP | Conservative |
Changes 2017-2019
| Date | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | ||||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| nowrap | 16 October 2017 | New seat | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Robert Courts MP (Conservative) | Witney | Hansard | ||
| nowrap | 23 October 2017 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Rehman Chishti MP (Conservative) | Gillingham and Rainham | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Chris Davies MP (Conservative) | ||
| nowrap | 19 March 2018 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Robert Courts MP (Conservative) | Witney | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Nigel Mills MP (Conservative) | ||
| nowrap | 23 April 2018 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Chris Davies MP (Conservative) | Brecon and Radnorshire | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Colin Clark MP (Conservative) |
2016 election
The chair was elected on 24 May 2016, with members being announced on 13 June 2016.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Kevin Foster MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Wendy Morton MP | Conservative | |
| Scottish National Party}}" | Gavin Newlands MP | SNP | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | David Nuttall MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Jess Phillips MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | William Wragg MP | Conservative |
Changes 2016-2017
| Date | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | ||||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| nowrap | 31 October 2016 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) | Aldridge-Brownhills | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Dr Dan Poulter MP (Conservative) | ||
| nowrap | 30 January 2017 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Dr Dan Poulter MP (Conservative) | Central Suffolk and North Ipswich | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Robert Courts MP (Conservative) |
2015 election
The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 20 July 2015.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Peter Bone MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Philip Hollobone MP | Conservative | |
| Scottish National Party}}" | Gavin Newlands MP | SNP | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | David Nuttall MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Jess Phillips MP | Labour |
Changes 2015-2016
| Date | Outgoing Member | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | |||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | ||||||
| nowrap | 14 December 2015 | New seat | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Kevin Foster MP (Conservative) | Torbay | Hansard |
2014 election
The chair was elected on 11 June 2014, with members being elected on 30 June 2014.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Natascha Engel MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | David Amess MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | David Anderson MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Oliver Colvile MP | Conservative | |
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | John Hemming MP | Liberal Democrats | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP | Labour |
2013 election
The chair was elected on 15 May 2013, with members being elected on 10 June 2013.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Natascha Engel MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | David Amess MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | David Anderson MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Jane Ellison MP | Conservative | |
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | John Hemming MP | Liberal Democrats | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Marcus Jones MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP | Labour |
Changes 2013-2014
| Date | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | → | New Member | ||||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| nowrap | 4 November 2013 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Jane Ellison MP (Conservative) | Battersea | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Mark Spencer MP (Conservative) | ||
| 4 November 2013 | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Marcus Jones MP (Conservative) | Nuneaton | → | Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Oliver Colvile MP (Conservative) | |||
| Mark Spencer MP (Conservative) | Sherwood | Alec Shelbrooke MP (Conservative) | Elmet and Rothwell |
2012 election
The chair was elected on 16 May 2012, with members being elected on 12 June 2012.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Natascha Engel MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | David Amess MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | David Anderson MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Bob Blackman MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Jane Ellison MP | Conservative | |
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | John Hemming MP | Liberal Democrats | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Marcus Jones MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP | Labour |
2010 election
The chair was elected on 22 June 2010, with members being elected on 29 June 2010.
| Member | Party | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Natascha Engel MP (chair) | Labour | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | David Anderson MP | Labour | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Peter Bone MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Philip Davies MP | Conservative | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Jane Ellison MP | Conservative | |
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | John Hemming MP | Liberal Democrats | |
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Philip Hollobone MP | Conservative | |
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Alison Seabeck MP | Labour |
By-elections 2010-2012
| Date of resignation | Outgoing Member | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| & Party | Constituency | Source | Date of by-election | New Member | |||||
| & Party | Constituency | Source | |||||||
| 3 November 2010 | Labour Party (UK)}}" | David Anderson MP (Labour) | Blaydon | Hansard | 8 November 2010 | Labour Party (UK)}}" | Ian Mearns MP (Labour) | ||
| Alison Seabeck MP (Labour) | Plymouth Moor View | George Mudie MP (Labour) | Leeds East |
Review
When it created the committee, the House resolved to review the committee's work at the beginning of the 2011/12 session. The Leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young, stated that the purpose of the review was to help reach the next phase of implementing the Wright Committee report: setting up a committee to manage substantially all House business.
References
References
- [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmvote/100615v01.htm House of Commons Votes and Proceedings, 15 June 2010]
- "The House of Commons - Reform of the House of Commons Committee". Parliament.uk.
- (3 May 2022). "Imran Ahmad Khan quits as Wakefield MP after sexually assaulting 15-year-old boy". LBC.
- (27 January 2020). "Speaker’s Statement: Select Committee Chairs".
- (2 March 2020). "Committees".
- (12 July 2017). "Speaker’s Statement: Select Committee Chairs".
- (11 September 2017). "Business without Debate".
- (24 May 2016). "Speaker’s Statement".
- (13 June 2016). "Business without Debate".
- (18 June 2015). "Speaker’s Statement".
- (20 July 2015). "Committees".
- (11 June 2014). "G7".
- (30 June 2014). "Business without Debate".
- (16 May 2013). "English Baccalaureate".
- (10 June 2013). "BACKBENCH BUSINESS".
- (16 May 2012). "Speaker’s Statement".
- (12 June 2012). "Backbench Business Committee".
- (22 June 2010). "Speaker’s Statement".
- (29 June 2010). "Speaker’s Statement".
- [https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100615/debtext/100615-0010.htm#10061550000001 House of Commons Debates 15 June 2010 v511 c782]
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about Backbench Business Committee — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report