What will happen next in Parliament before Christmas?
Tuesday 17 December
- Most MPs have now arrived in Westminster, collected their laptops and attended induction events (including training on how to treat their staff and parliamentary staff). Most new MPs will be hot-desking while parliamentary offices are allocated by party whips.
- The Commons sits at 2:30pm.
- MPs elect the Speaker with the Father of the House – Sir Peter Bottomley – in the Chair.
- MPs and peers start swearing in. Only those who have sworn in can participate in parliamentary business.
Wednesday 18 December
- The Commons Speaker announces the number of chairs of select committees that each party will get (reflecting the composition of the House). Party business managers then decide between them which party will get which committee.
- Swearing in of MPs and peers continues.
Thursday 19 December
- The Queen opens Parliament and delivers the Queen’s Speech which sets out the government’s legislative plans.
- Debate on the Queen’s Speech begins but is then probably paused until a convenient moment in January.
Friday 20 December
- The Commons sits if the Speaker has agreed to a recall, or has allowed a ‘motion without notice’ on Thursday allowing the Commons to decide to sit on Friday.
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If the Commons sits:
- The Withdrawal Agreement Bill (WAB) will receive its formal first reading.
- The Commons could proceed immediately to second reading of the WAB (if it agrees a government motion to do so).
- After second reading, the Commons is likely to agree a programme motion setting out the timetable for the remaining Commons stages of the WAB in January.
- The Commons agrees its recess dates (likely to be to adjourn at the end of the sitting until early January).
Week of 23 December
- Parliament not sitting.
Week of 30 December
- Parliament not sitting.
What is scheduled to take place in Parliament after the new year?
Week of 6 January
- Parliament returns (probably Tuesday). On the day the House of Commons returns, party leaders must table a motion proposing which party should be allocated the chair of each select committee with an elected chair. Chair elections take place 14 days after the approval of the motion.
- The Commons Deputy Speakers are elected.
- The Lords Senior Deputy Speaker is appointed.
- The Commons debates the WAB in Committee of the Whole House.
- The Lords completes debate on the Queen’s Speech.
Week of 13 January
- Once the WAB completes its Commons stages, the Commons resumes the Queen’s Speech debate, with votes on the penultimate and last days.
- The House of Lords committees are appointed.
Week of 20 January
- Select committee chairs are elected by the whole House (unless this is delayed in view of impending reshuffle and changes to Whitehall departments, which would affect select committees).
- The House of Lords committees hold their first meetings.
Wednesday 29 January
- The WAB must have completed its parliamentary passage so that the Withdrawal Agreement can be ratified by the European Parliament at its plenary session in Strasbourg.
Friday 31 January
- Britain leaves the EU at 11:00pm.
- A major government reshuffle is expected, including changes to Whitehall departments. Select committee remits are likely to be changed in consequence.
Mid-February
- Parties complete the process of electing their members of select committees. The House approves appointment of members to each committee. Committees meet and start to prepare their work programmes for the session.
Late February / early March
- The Commons approval of supplementary estimates for 2019/20 financial year.
- Budget 2020.
Spring/summer
- Spending review.