Backbench Business Committee — Election of Members and Chair — Operation of Committee — 12 Mar 2012 at 18:00

The majority of MPs voted for members of the House of Commons Backbench Business Committee to be elected by members of political parties rather than, as was the case previously, by the whole House of Commons, and to make other changes to the operation of the committee.

MPs were considering a motion[1] on the arrangements for operation of the Backbench Business Committee, including membership of the committee and the election of chair.

The committee is responsible for allocating certain periods of parliamentary time for "backbench business"; MPs can apply to it if they wish to get see particular motion debated in the House of Commons or in Westminster Hall.

The motion approved in this vote started:

  • That
  • (1) this House endorses the principle that parties should elect members of the Backbench Business Committee each Session and thereafter when a vacancy arises in a secret ballot of all Members of that party by whichever transparent and democratic method they choose.

and included a requirement that:

  • No Member may be a candidate for the chair of the committee if that Member’s party is represented in Her Majesty’s Government

The approved motion also amended the requirements for nomination to stand as a member of the committee changing them from:

  • Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand for election, accompanied by the signatures of not fewer than twenty nor more than twenty-five Members, of whom no fewer than ten shall be members of the candidate’s party and no fewer than ten shall be members of any other party or no party.

to

  • Each nomination shall consist of a signed statement made by the candidate declaring their willingness to stand for election, accompanied by the signatures of not fewer than twenty nor more than twenty-five Members, of whom no fewer than ten shall be members of a party represented in Her Majesty’s Government and no fewer than ten shall be members of a party not so represented or of no party.

This altered the requirement from being support from within, and outside a member's party; to requiring support from members of a party in Government and MPs not members of a party in Government.

The requirements relating to the holding of elections for committee membership by the Speaker and clerks were removed as a result of the motion being passed; as the process was being replaced by elections to be carried out by political parties.

The previous rules for the election of the committee were contained within House of Commons Standing Order 122D[3], they provided for elections to the committee by all MPs, subject to criteria including:

  • such a number of candidates shall come from each party represented in the House or those of no party as shall be determined and announced in advance by the Speaker, in such a way as to ensure that the committee including the Chair reflects as closely as possible the composition of the House

Following the motion the chair of the committee was to continue to be elected by members of the House of Commons and the procedure for the post of chair being made vacant was made the same as that applying to chairs of select committees.

Provisions for involvement of non-members were added to the standing orders by the approved motion as follows:

  • The Committee shall have power to invite Members of the House who are not members of the Committee and who are of a party not represented on the Committee or of no party to attend its meetings and, at the discretion of the chair, take part in its proceedings, but—
  • (a) no more than one Member may be so invited to attend in respect of the same meeting;
  • (b) a Member so invited shall not move any motion or amendment to any motion, vote or be counted in the quorum.’.

==

Debate in Parliament | Source |

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All Votes Cast - sorted by party

MPs for which their vote in this division differed from the majority vote of their party are marked in red. Also shows which MPs were ministers at the time of this vote. You can also see every eligible MP including those who did not vote in this division.

Sort by: Name | Constituency | Party | Vote

NameConstituencyPartyVote
Nigel AdamsSelby and AinstyConaye
Adam AfriyieWindsorCon (front bench)aye
Peter AldousWaveneyCon (front bench)aye
Stuart AndrewPudseyCon (front bench)aye
Tony BaldryBanburyCon (front bench)aye
Steve BarclayNorth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
Gavin BarwellCroydon CentralCon (front bench)aye
Guto BebbAberconwyCon (front bench)aye
Henry BellinghamNorth West NorfolkCon (front bench)aye
Jake BerryRossendale and DarwenConaye
Bob BlackmanHarrow EastCon (front bench)aye
Nicholas BolesGrantham and StamfordConaye
Peter BottomleyWorthing WestCon (front bench)aye
Karen BradleyStaffordshire MoorlandsCon (front bench)aye
Angie BrayEaling Central and ActonConaye
Fiona BruceCongletonCon (front bench)aye
Simon BurnsChelmsfordCon (front bench)aye
David BurrowesEnfield, SouthgateConaye
Neil CarmichaelStroudCon (front bench)aye
Rehman ChishtiGillingham and RainhamCon (front bench)aye
Greg ClarkTunbridge WellsCon (front bench)aye
Damian CollinsFolkestone and HytheCon (front bench)aye
Oliver ColvilePlymouth, Sutton and DevonportCon (front bench)aye
Stephen CrabbPreseli PembrokeshireCon (front bench)aye
Glyn DaviesMontgomeryshireConaye
Jonathan DjanoglyHuntingdonCon (front bench)aye
James DuddridgeRochford and Southend EastCon (front bench)aye
Iain Duncan SmithChingford and Woodford GreenCon (front bench)aye
Philip DunneLudlowCon (front bench)aye
Michael EllisNorthampton NorthCon (front bench)aye
Tobias EllwoodBournemouth EastConaye
Charlie ElphickeDoverCon (front bench)aye
Graham EvansWeaver ValeCon (front bench)aye
David EvennettBexleyheath and CrayfordConaye
Michael FabricantLichfieldCon (front bench)aye
Mark FrancoisRayleigh and WickfordCon (front bench)aye
George FreemanMid NorfolkConaye
Edward GarnierHarboroughCon (front bench)aye
David GaukeSouth West HertfordshireCon (front bench)aye
Dame Cheryl GillanChesham and AmershamCon (front bench)aye
John GlenSalisburyCon (front bench)aye
Robert GoodwillScarborough and WhitbyCon (front bench)aye
Richard GrahamGloucesterConaye
Chris GraylingEpsom and EwellCon (front bench)aye
Damian GreenAshfordCon (front bench)aye
Justine GreeningPutneyCon (front bench)aye
Dominic GrieveBeaconsfieldCon (front bench)aye
Stephen HammondWimbledonConaye
Greg HandsChelsea and FulhamCon (front bench)tellaye
Mark HarperForest of DeanCon (front bench)aye
Rebecca HarrisCastle PointCon (front bench)aye
John HayesSouth Holland and The DeepingsCon (front bench)aye
Oliver HealdNorth East HertfordshireCon (front bench)aye
Nick HerbertArundel and South DownsCon (front bench)aye
Damian HindsEast HampshireCon (front bench)aye
John HowellHenleyConaye
Margot JamesStourbridgeCon (front bench)aye
Sajid JavidBromsgroveConaye
Gareth JohnsonDartfordCon (front bench)aye
Jo JohnsonOrpingtonConaye
Andrew JonesHarrogate and KnaresboroughCon (front bench)aye
David JonesClwyd WestCon (front bench)aye
Daniel KawczynskiShrewsbury and AtchamConaye
Simon KirbyBrighton, KemptownCon (front bench)aye
Mark LancasterMilton Keynes NorthConaye
Jessica LeeErewashConaye
Phillip LeeBracknellCon (front bench)aye
Oliver LetwinWest DorsetCon (front bench)aye
Ian Liddell-GraingerBridgwater and West SomersetCon (front bench)aye
Jonathan LordWokingConaye
Tim LoughtonEast Worthing and ShorehamCon (front bench)aye
Peter LuffMid WorcestershireCon (front bench)aye
Mary MacleodBrentford and IsleworthConaye
Francis MaudeHorshamCon (front bench)aye
Jason McCartneyColne ValleyConaye
Patrick McLoughlinDerbyshire DalesCon (front bench)aye
Mark MenziesFyldeConaye
Maria MillerBasingstokeCon (front bench)aye
Andrew MitchellSutton ColdfieldCon (front bench)aye
Nicky MorganLoughboroughConaye
David MorrisMorecambe and LunesdaleConaye
Stephen MosleyCity of ChesterCon (front bench)aye
David MundellDumfriesshire, Clydesdale and TweeddaleCon (front bench)aye
Andrew MurrisonSouth West WiltshireConaye
Bob NeillBromley and ChislehurstCon (front bench)aye
Brooks NewmarkBraintreeCon (front bench)aye
Sarah NewtonTruro and FalmouthCon (front bench)aye
Stephen O'BrienEddisburyCon (front bench)aye
Eric OllerenshawLancaster and FleetwoodConaye
James PaiceSouth East CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
Neil ParishTiverton and HonitonCon (front bench)aye
Mike PenningHemel HempsteadCon (front bench)aye
Andrew PercyBrigg and GooleCon (front bench)aye
Claire PerryDevizesConaye
Stephen PhillipsSleaford and North HykehamCon (front bench)aye
Eric PicklesBrentwood and OngarCon (front bench)aye
Christopher PincherTamworthCon (front bench)aye
John RandallUxbridge and South RuislipCon (front bench)aye
Jacob Rees-MoggNorth East SomersetCon (front bench)aye
Andrew RobathanSouth LeicestershireCon (front bench)aye
David RutleyMacclesfieldConaye
Andrew SelousSouth West BedfordshireCon (front bench)aye
Grant ShappsWelwyn HatfieldCon (front bench)aye
Alok SharmaReading WestConaye
Mark SimmondsBoston and SkegnessConaye
Keith SimpsonBroadlandConaye
Chloe SmithNorwich NorthCon (front bench)aye
Julian SmithSkipton and RiponConaye
Nicholas SoamesMid SussexConaye
Anna SoubryBroxtoweConaye
Caroline SpelmanMeridenCon (front bench)aye
Andrew StephensonPendleConaye
Bob StewartBeckenhamCon (front bench)aye
Iain StewartMilton Keynes SouthCon (front bench)aye
Mel StrideCentral DevonConaye
Julian SturdyYork OuterCon (front bench)aye
Desmond SwayneNew Forest WestConaye
Robert SymsPooleCon (front bench)aye
Edward TimpsonCrewe and NantwichConaye
Justin TomlinsonNorth SwindonCon (front bench)aye
Ed VaizeyWantageCon (front bench)aye
Shailesh VaraNorth West CambridgeshireCon (front bench)aye
Theresa VilliersChipping BarnetCon (front bench)aye
Robin WalkerWorcesterCon (front bench)aye
Ben WallaceWyre and Preston NorthConaye
Robert WalterNorth DorsetConaye
Angela WatkinsonHornchurch and UpminsterCon (front bench)aye
Craig WhittakerCalder ValleyCon (front bench)aye
Bill WigginNorth HerefordshireCon (front bench)aye
Gavin WilliamsonSouth StaffordshireConaye
Rob WilsonReading EastConaye
Jeremy WrightKenilworth and SouthamCon (front bench)aye
George YoungNorth West HampshireCon (front bench)aye
Richard BaconSouth NorfolkCon (front bench)no
John BaronBasildon and BillericayCon (front bench)no
Peter BoneWellingboroughCon (front bench)tellno
Graham BradyAltrincham and Sale WestCon (front bench)no
Andrew BridgenNorth West LeicestershireCon (front bench)no
Robert BucklandSouth SwindonCon (front bench)no
Douglas CarswellClactonConno
Bill CashStoneCon (front bench)no
Philip DaviesShipleyCon (front bench)no
David DavisHaltemprice and HowdenConno
Zac GoldsmithRichmond ParkCon (front bench)no
James GrayNorth WiltshireCon (front bench)no
Robert HalfonHarlowCon (front bench)no
Bernard JenkinHarwich and North EssexCon (front bench)no
Julian LewisNew Forest EastCon (front bench)no
Karl McCartneyLincolnConno
Anne McIntoshThirsk and MaltonCon (front bench)no
Nigel MillsAmber ValleyCon (front bench)no
David NuttallBury NorthCon (front bench)no
Matthew OffordHendonConno
Richard OttawayCroydon SouthCon (front bench)no
Mark RecklessRochester and StroodCon (front bench)no
John RedwoodWokinghamConno
Andrew RosindellRomfordCon (front bench)no
Richard ShepherdAldridge-BrownhillsCon (front bench)no
Graham StuartBeverley and HoldernessCon (front bench)no
Andrew TurnerIsle of WightCon (front bench)no
Andrew TyrieChichesterCon (front bench)no
Heather WheelerSouth DerbyshireCon (front bench)no
John WhittingdaleMaldonCon (front bench)no
Sarah WollastonTotnesCon (front bench)no
William McCreaSouth AntrimDUP (front bench)no
David SimpsonUpper BannDUP (front bench)no
Debbie AbrahamsOldham East and SaddleworthLab (minister)aye
Graham AllenNottingham NorthLab (minister)aye
Jon AshworthLeicester SouthLab (minister)aye
Hilary BennLeeds CentralLab (minister)aye
Luciana BergerLiverpool, WavertreeLab (minister)aye
Hazel BlearsSalford and EcclesLab (minister)aye
Tom BlenkinsopMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandLab (minister)aye
Paul BlomfieldSheffield CentralLab (minister)aye
David BlunkettSheffield, Brightside and HillsboroughLabaye
Russell BrownDumfries and GallowayLabaye
Alan CampbellTynemouthLab (minister)aye
Alex CunninghamStockton NorthLab (minister)aye
Nicholas DakinScunthorpeLab (minister)aye
Wayne DavidCaerphillyLab (minister)aye
John DenhamSouthampton, ItchenLabaye
Thomas DochertyDunfermline and West FifeLab (minister)aye
Angela EagleWallaseyLab (minister)aye
Maria EagleGarston and HalewoodLab (minister)aye
Jim FitzpatrickPoplar and LimehouseLab (minister)aye
Yvonne FovargueMakerfieldLab (minister)aye
Mary GlindonNorth TynesideLab (minister)aye
Lilian GreenwoodNottingham SouthLab (minister)aye
David HamiltonMidlothianLab (minister)aye
David HansonDelynLab (minister)aye
Mark HendrickPrestonLab (minister)aye
Julie HillingBolton WestLab (minister)aye
Sharon HodgsonWashington and Sunderland WestLab (minister)aye
Huw Irranca-DaviesOgmoreLab (minister)aye
Diana R. JohnsonKingston upon Hull NorthLab (minister)aye
Graham JonesHyndburnLab (minister)aye
Ann McKechinGlasgow NorthLab (minister)aye
Alan MealeMansfieldLab (minister)aye
Alun MichaelCardiff South and PenarthLabaye
David MilibandSouth ShieldsLabaye
Jessica MordenNewport EastLab (minister)aye
Meg MunnSheffield, HeeleyLabaye
Ian MurrayEdinburgh SouthLab (minister)aye
Albert OwenYnys MônLab (minister)aye
Linda RiordanHalifaxLab (minister)aye
Lindsay RoyGlenrothesLab (minister)aye
Barry SheermanHuddersfieldLabaye
Angela SmithPenistone and StocksbridgeLab (minister)aye
Owen SmithPontypriddLabaye
John SpellarWarleyLab (minister)aye
Graham StringerBlackley and BroughtonLab (minister)aye
Mark TamiAlyn and DeesideLab (minister)aye
Stephen TimmsEast HamLab (minister)aye
Dave WattsSt Helens NorthLab (minister)aye
Rosie WintertonDoncaster CentralLab (minister)aye
David AndersonBlaydonLab (minister)no
Adrian BaileyWest Bromwich WestLab (minister)no
Kevin BarronRother ValleyLab (minister)no
Ben BradshawExeterLab (minister)no
Chris BryantRhonddaLab (minister)no
Jenny ChapmanDarlingtonLab (minister)no
Rosie CooperWest LancashireLab (minister)no
John CryerLeyton and WansteadLabno
Jim CunninghamCoventry SouthLabno
Brian H DonohoeCentral AyrshireLabno
Clive EffordElthamLab (minister)no
Natascha EngelNorth East DerbyshireLab (minister)tellno
Bill EstersonSefton CentralLab (minister)no
Frank FieldBirkenheadLab (minister)no
Barry GardinerBrent NorthLab (minister)no
Pat GlassNorth West DurhamLab (minister)no
Paul GogginsWythenshawe and Sale EastLabno
Kate GreenStretford and UrmstonLab (minister)no
Kelvin HopkinsLuton NorthLab (minister)no
Kevan JonesNorth DurhamLab (minister)no
Denis MacShaneRotherhamLabno
Seema MalhotraFeltham and HestonLab (minister)no
Michael MeacherOldham West and RoytonLabno
Madeleine MoonBridgendLab (minister)no
Grahame MorrisEasingtonLab (minister)no
Chi OnwurahNewcastle upon Tyne CentralLab (minister)no
Jonathan ReynoldsStalybridge and HydeLab (minister)no
Geoffrey RobinsonCoventry North WestLabno
Virendra SharmaEaling, SouthallLab (minister)no
Dennis SkinnerBolsoverLabno
Andrew SmithOxford EastLabno
Nick SmithBlaenau GwentLab (minister)no
Jack StrawBlackburnLabno
Gisela StuartBirmingham, EdgbastonLab (minister)no
Stephen TwiggLiverpool, West DerbyLab (minister)no
Chris WilliamsonDerby NorthLab (minister)no
David WrightTelfordLab (minister)no
Kevin BrennanCardiff WestLab (minister)both
Norman BakerLewesLDem (front bench)aye
Gordon BirtwistleBurnleyLDemaye
Paul BurstowSutton and CheamLDem (front bench)aye
Lorely BurtSolihullLDem (front bench)aye
Alistair CarmichaelOrkney and ShetlandLDem (front bench)aye
Edward DaveyKingston and SurbitonLDem (front bench)aye
Lynne FeatherstoneHornsey and Wood GreenLDem (front bench)aye
Duncan HamesChippenhamLDemaye
David HeathSomerton and FromeLDem (front bench)aye
Simon HughesBermondsey and Old SouthwarkLDem (front bench)aye
Mark HunterCheadleLDem (front bench)tellaye
Norman LambNorth NorfolkLDem (front bench)aye
Tessa MuntWellsLDem (front bench)aye
Dan RogersonNorth CornwallLDem (front bench)aye
Bob RussellColchesterLDem (front bench)aye
Andrew StunellHazel GroveLDem (front bench)aye
Ian SwalesRedcarLDem (front bench)aye
Jo SwinsonEast DunbartonshireLDemaye
Sarah TeatherBrent CentralLDem (front bench)aye
Steve WebbThornbury and YateLDem (front bench)aye
Roger WilliamsBrecon and RadnorshireLDem (front bench)aye
Simon WrightNorwich SouthLDem (front bench)aye
Alan BeithBerwick-upon-TweedLDem (front bench)no
Andrew GeorgeSt IvesLDem (front bench)no
John HemmingBirmingham, YardleyLDem (front bench)no
Greg MulhollandLeeds North WestLDem (front bench)no
John PughSouthportLDem (front bench)no
Adrian SandersTorbayLDemno
Robert SmithWest Aberdeenshire and KincardineLDem (front bench)no
Elfyn LlwydDwyfor MeirionnyddPC (front bench)no
Hywel WilliamsArfonPC (front bench)no
Stewart HosieDundee EastSNP (front bench)no
Michael WeirAngusSNP (front bench)no
Eilidh WhitefordBanff and BuchanSNP (front bench)no
Pete WishartPerth and North PerthshireSNP (front bench)no

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