House of Commons Debates
192 main chamber debates on legislation and government business
What are House of Commons Debates?
House of Commonsdebates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons, where MPs scrutinise legislation, debate government policy, and hold ministers accountable. These debates are central to the UK's democratic process and cover everything from new bills to urgent matters of national importance.
- Debates cover bills at various stages of the legislative process, from first reading to final approval
- MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and propose amendments to legislation
- Urgent debates address time-sensitive issues requiring immediate parliamentary attention
- General debates allow wide-ranging discussion on government policy and current affairs
Types of House of Commons debates:
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Ministerial Statements: Government ministers announce major policy decisions. Minister speaks -> Shadow Secretary responds -> MPs ask questions.
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Urgent Questions: MPs ask pressing questions requiring immediate government response. MP asks -> Minister answers -> Follow-up questions.
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Adjournment Debates: End-of-day debates where an MP raises a constituency concern. MP presents issue (15-30 mins) -> Minister responds.
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General Debates: Multiple MPs debate legislation, budgets, or policies. Various speakers -> May include minister/shadow responses -> Sometimes ends with vote.
| Debate | Lead MP | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 - 15 Jan - 07 May (14 debates) | ||
| May - 07 May (1 debate) | ||
| 07 May 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defence
General Debate
|
Grant Shapps Welwyn Hatfield Con | View |
| April - 24-29 Apr (2 debates) | ||
| 29 Apr 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
UK Armed Forces in Middle East
Ministerial Statement
|
Leo Docherty Constituency Con | View |
| 24 Apr 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defence Spending
Ministerial Statement
|
Grant Shapps Constituency Con | View |
| March - 11-18 Mar (2 debates) | ||
| 18 Mar 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Cadet Expansion Programme
Adjournment Debate
|
James Sunderland Bracknell Con | View |
| 11 Mar 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
UK Armed Forces
Ministerial Statement
|
James Cartlidge South Suffolk Con | View |
| February - 01-28 Feb (5 debates) | ||
| 28 Feb 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defence Acquisition Reform
Ministerial Statement
|
James Cartlidge South Suffolk Con | View |
| 27 Feb 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Ukraine: Military Equipment
Ministerial Statement
|
James Cartlidge South Suffolk Con | View |
| 26 Feb 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Situation in the Red Sea
Ministerial Statement
|
Grant Shapps Dover Con | View |
| 05 Feb 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Situation in the Red Sea
Ministerial Statement
|
Grant Shapps Epping Forest Con | View |
| 01 Feb 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Afghan Relocations: Special Forces
Ministerial Statement
|
James Heappey Constituency Con | View |
| January - 15-26 Jan (4 debates) | ||
| 26 Jan 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Trident
Adjournment Debate
|
Neale Hanvey Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Lab | View |
| 24 Jan 2024 (2 debates) | ||
|
Nuclear Defence Infrastructure: Parliamentary Scrutiny
Adjournment Debate
|
Martin Docherty-Hughes West Dunbartonshire Lab | View |
|
Situation in the Red Sea
General Debate
|
Grant Shapps Welwyn Hatfield Con | View |
| 15 Jan 2024 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defending the UK and Allies
Ministerial Statement
|
Rishi Sunak Richmond and Northallerton Con | View |
| 2023 - 19 Jan - 18 Dec (15 debates) | ||
| December - 04-18 Dec (3 debates) | ||
| 18 Dec 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Global Combat Air Programme Treaty
Ministerial Statement
|
Grant Shapps Welwyn Hatfield Con | View |
| 05 Dec 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Middle East: UK Military Deployments
Ministerial Statement
|
Grant Shapps Sarney Con | View |
| 04 Dec 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Risk and Resilience: Annual Statement
Ministerial Statement
|
Oliver Dowden Hertsmere Con | View |
| July - 13-18 Jul (2 debates) | ||
| 18 Jul 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defence Command Paper Refresh
Ministerial Statement
|
Ben Wallace Nottingham North Con | View |
| 13 Jul 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
NATO Summit
Ministerial Statement
|
Rishi Sunak Richmond and Northallerton Con | View |
| June - 13-19 Jun (4 debates) | ||
| 19 Jun 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Service Family Accommodation: Maintenance
Adjournment Debate
|
Helen Morgan North Shropshire Lib Dem | View |
| 15 Jun 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Armoured Cavalry Programme: Sheldon Review
Ministerial Statement
|
James Cartlidge South Suffolk Con | View |
| 14 Jun 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Global Military Operations
General Debate
|
James Heappey Wells Con | View |
| 13 Jun 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defence Reform Bill - Schedule 10 - Single source defence contracts
Bill Debate
|
Alex Burghart Brentwood and Ongar Con | View |
| April - 18-27 Apr (2 debates) | ||
| 27 Apr 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Ukraine
Ministerial Statement
|
Andrew Murrison South West Wiltshire Con | View |
| 18 Apr 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Top Secret Document Leaks
Ministerial Statement
|
James Heappey Taunton Deane Con | View |
| March - 13-27 Mar (3 debates) | ||
| 27 Mar 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
HMS Dasher
Adjournment Debate
|
Patricia Gibson North Ayrshire and Arran SNP | View |
| 14 Mar 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
AUKUS Defence Partnership
Ministerial Statement
|
Alex Chalk Cheltenham Con | View |
| 13 Mar 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Integrated Review Refresh
Ministerial Statement
|
James Cleverly Braintree Con | View |
| January - 19 Jan (1 debate) | ||
| 19 Jan 2023 (1 debate) | ||
|
Russia’s Grand Strategy
General Debate
|
Bernard Jenkin Harwich and North Essex Con | View |
| 2022 - 18 Jan - 20 Dec (14 debates) | ||
| December - 15-20 Dec (2 debates) | ||
| 20 Dec 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Service Family Accommodation
Ministerial Statement
|
Alex Chalk Constituency Con | View |
| 15 Dec 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Afghanistan: Independent Inquiry
Ministerial Statement
|
Andrew Murrison South West Wiltshire Con | View |
| November - 14-18 Nov (2 debates) | ||
| 18 Nov 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Fleet Solid Support Ships
Ministerial Statement
|
Alex Chalk Conway Con | View |
| 14 Nov 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Mali: UN Peacekeeping Mission
Ministerial Statement
|
James Heappey West Dorset Con | View |
| July - 06-14 Jul (2 debates) | ||
| 14 Jul 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
British Special Forces in Afghanistan: New Allegations
Ministerial Statement
|
James Heappey Constituency Con | View |
| 06 Jul 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
NATO Accession: Sweden and Finland
Ministerial Statement
|
Vicky Ford South Cambridgeshire Con | View |
| June - 13-20 Jun (2 debates) | ||
| 20 Jun 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Ukraine: UK and NATO Military Commitment
Ministerial Statement
|
Leo Docherty Somerton and Frome Con | View |
| 13 Jun 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Falklands War: 40th Anniversary
Adjournment Debate
|
Dan Jarvis Barnsley North Lab | View |
| May - 19 May (1 debate) | ||
| 19 May 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
NATO and International Security
General Debate
|
Ben Wallace Dorset West Con | View |
| March - 03-10 Mar (3 debates) | ||
| 10 Mar 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
National Shipbuilding Strategy
Ministerial Statement
|
Jeremy Quin Constituency Con | View |
| 09 Mar 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Defence Supplementary Estimate 2021-22
General Debate
|
John Spellar West Bromwich West Lab | View |
| 03 Mar 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
UK Shipbuilding
Adjournment Debate
|
Mick Whitley Birkenhead Lab | View |
| February - 02 Feb (1 debate) | ||
| 02 Feb 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Army Reserve
Adjournment Debate
|
Richard Bacon South Norfolk Con | View |
| January - 18 Jan (1 debate) | ||
| 18 Jan 2022 (1 debate) | ||
|
Migrant Crossings: Role of the Military
Ministerial Statement
|
James Heappey Department for Defence Con | View |
| 2021 - 09 Nov - 15 Dec (7 debates) | ||
| December - 06-15 Dec (4 debates) | ||
| 15 Dec 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Ajax Noise and Vibration Review
Ministerial Statement
|
Jeremy Quin Wellingborough Con | View |
| 13 Dec 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Armed Forces Bill - Clause 7 and Lords amendment 1B
Bill Debate
|
Leo Docherty Burnley Con | View |
| 09 Dec 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Women in the Armed Forces
Ministerial Statement
|
Sarah Atherton Wrexham Con | View |
| 06 Dec 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Armed Forces Bill - Lords amendment 1 and Government motion to disagree, Lords amendments 2-50
Bill Debate
|
Leo Docherty Aldershot Con | View |
| November - 09-25 Nov (3 debates) | ||
| 25 Nov 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Army Restructuring: Future Soldier
Ministerial Statement
|
Ben Wallace Nottingham North Con | View |
| 24 Nov 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Captain David Mockett
Adjournment Debate
|
Gary Streeter South West Devon Con | View |
| 09 Nov 2021 (1 debate) | ||
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ministerial Statement
|
James Cleverly Braintree Con | View |