Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:00 pm on 23 October 2023.
Roger Gale
Deputy Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means
10:00,
23 October 2023
I am not sure whether the hon. Gentleman is aware, but one of the arcane practices is that because the Adjournment Debate started before 10 o’clock, we had to move the motion again at 10. The hon. Gentleman has the Floor.
An adjournment debate is a short half hour debate that is introduced by a backbencher at the end of each day's business in the House of Commons.
Adjournment debates are also held in the side chamber of Westminster Hall.
This technical procedure of debating a motion that the House should adjourn gives backbench members the opportunity to discuss issues of concern to them, and to have a minister respond to the points they raise.
The speaker holds a weekly ballot in order to decide which backbench members will get to choose the subject for each daily debate.
Backbenchers normally use this as an opportunity to debate issues related to their constituency.
An all-day adjournment debate is normally held on the final day before each parliamentary recess begins. On these occasions MPs do not have to give advance notice of the subjects which they intend to raise.
The leader of the House replies at the end of the debate to all of the issues raised.
