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Parliament Matters Bulletin: Our weekly analysis of what's coming up in Parliament

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Latest edition: 9-13 September 2024

Westminster is always buzzing with political drama and rumours, but whatever the daily gossip or latest crisis, law-making and parliamentary scrutiny carries on regardless. That’s why it’s crucial to stay informed about what’s happening in Parliament each week. The Parliament Matters Bulletin is our weekly analysis of what's coming up in the House of Commons and House of Lords, as a complement to our weekly Parliament Matters Podcast.

Latest edition: What's coming up in Parliament?

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9-13 September 2024

This is the last sitting week before Parliament adjourns again for a three week recess for party conference season. We will find out this week who will chair the Select Committees in the House of Commons and the members of the new Modernisation Committee will be appointed. Two of the five days of parliamentary business are likely to be dominated by debates on the Statutory Instrument to implement the Government's controversial changes to Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners.

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Parliament Matters Bulletin: Past Editions

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2-6 September 2024

It's a busy first week back after the Summer recess. Backbench MPs will be hoping they get drawn in the Private Members' Bill ballot. Meanwhile they will be lobbied for support by dozens of candidates hoping to chair Select Committees. Conservative MPs will also face heavy lobbying from their party leadership candidates. The first Government Bills should complete their passage through the House of Commons but more attention is likely to focus on the Government's changes to Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners.

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29 July-2 August 2024

This week is a two-day sitting, with MPs set to rise for the Summer recess at the close of business on Tuesday. In those two days, both the Commons and Lords will see their first debates on primary legislation, the Chancellor will make a statement on the public finances, and the Home and Foreign Secretaries will face their first departmental Question Times, but the conventional Summer Adjournment Debate is nowhere to be seen.

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Palace of Westminster and Portcullis House (UK Houses of Parliament). © UK Parliament

22-26 July 2024

This week is a five-day sitting as MPs grapple with some of the proceedings needed to set up a new Parliament, although the Private Members' Bill ballot has been delayed until after the Summer recess. This week three Deputy Speakers will be elected, MPs will vote on the King's Speech, and Keir Starmer will face his first PMQs. The House of Commons will also be asked to approve over £1 trillion of Government spending.

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Palace of Westminster and Portcullis House (UK Houses of Parliament). © UK Parliament

22-26 July 2024

This week is a five-day sitting as MPs grapple with some of the proceedings needed to set up a new Parliament, although the Private Members' Bill ballot has been delayed until after the Summer recess. This week three Deputy Speakers will be elected, MPs will vote on the King's Speech, and Keir Starmer will face his first PMQs. The House of Commons will also be asked to approve over £1 trillion of Government spending.

Read here

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Parliament Matters Bulletin

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Parliament Matters podcast cover image. ©Hansard Society

Parliament Matters Podcast

Presented by Mark D'Arcy, former BBC parliamentary correspondent, and our Director, Ruth Fox, you can listen to our weekly podcast by subscribing via your favourite app.

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Latest / Highlights

Briefings / 14 things to look out for in Parliament this Autumn

When parliamentarians return to Westminster on October 7, all eyes will be on the Budget — the major parliamentary event on the immediate horizon. However, as the Government’s legislative agenda picks up speed and Select Committees get underway, there will be many other important developments to track. In the months ahead, we’ve identified 14 key issues worth watching closely, particularly as some of them may provide crucial signals about how this Government’s approach to and treatment of Parliament compares to its predecessors.

04 Oct 2024
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Blog / Select committee chair elections: what do the results tell us about the new Parliament?

The House of Commons recently held elections for the chairs of its select committees in the new Parliament. But how did this year's elections compare to those of previous years? Were they more competitive? How well were women and ethnic minority MPs represented among the candidates and winners? And what level of parliamentary experience do the newly elected chairs bring to the table?

27 Sep 2024
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News / Select Committee chair elections: who won and can they work together? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 47

In this episode, we explore the outcomes and implications of the latest Select Committee Chair elections in Parliament. The newly elected chairs will play a pivotal role in scrutinising the government, but can they effectively work together? We talk to Dr. Marc Geddes, a leading expert on Select Committees, who highlights how this year’s competitive elections compare to previous parliaments and what that could mean for committee dynamics in the future.

13 Sep 2024
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Events / The inaugural Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture, given by the Rt Hon Theresa May MP

To mark the Hansard Society’s 80th anniversary, we have launched the Churchill-Attlee Democracy Lecture in honour of our first members, Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee. The inaugural lecture was given by former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Theresa May MP on 14 May 2024. All proceeds from ticket sales went to our 80th Anniversary Appeal. See below for a video recording and transcript of the event.

14 May 2024
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Blog / MPs and the parliamentary oath of allegiance: A shibboleth under scrutiny?

Before taking their seats, Members of Parliament must legally swear an oath or make an affirmation of allegiance to the Crown. For some MPs this can be uncomfortable, creating a conflict between personal beliefs and legal obligations. Some MPs find themselves compelled to express sentiments they do not genuinely hold, or risk their constituents being deprived of representation. Unlike oaths taken by other office holders, the parliamentary oath does not address public expectations of MPs, nor does it guide MPs in understanding their duties. It has become a symbolic formality, a shibboleth, that could be usefully reformed.

05 Sep 2024
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