The Backbench Business Committee of the British House of Commons was created on 15 June 2010 through the adoption of a new standing order.House of Commons Votes and Proceedings, 15 June 2010 It was created soon after 2010 general election, but had been proposed during the previous Parliament by the Wright Committee on Reform of the House of Commons in its report of 12 November 2009.

Remit The committee is responsible for determining, on behalf of backbench members (i.e., members who are not Ministers of the Crown or shadow ministers), the business before the House for approximately one day each week. This includes Thursday sittings in the parallel debating chamber, known as Westminster Hall, which are considered half days. The amendments to Standing Order 14 give the committee 35 days per session, of which at least 27 are taken on the floor of the House (as opposed to Westminster Hall). The one-and-one-half-hour Topical Debates, which count as quarter days, are also determined by the committee.

Chairs Committee chairs include those listed below.https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/202/backbench-business-committee/membership/former/

NameStartEndPartyConstituencyLabourNorth East DerbyshireLabourGatesheadpresentConservativeHarrow East

Membership As set out by Standing Order 152, the committee consists of a chair and seven other members to be elected at the beginning of each session. The chair, who must be an opposition member, is elected under the alternative vote method in a manner similar to other select committee chairs. The other members are selected under the single transferable vote method with the stipulation that the eight members (including the chair) reflect a distribution of the seats made by the Speaker, which is to reflect the party composition of the House of Commons. In addition, at least two men and two women must be elected. Ministers of the Crown, Parliamentary Private Secretaries, and 'principal opposition frontbench spokespersons' are prohibited from standing for election as chair or as a member.

Member Party ConstituencyBob Blackman MP (chair)ConservativeHarrow EastJonathan Davies MPLabourMid DerbyshireLee Dillon MPLiberal DemocratsNewburyMary Glindon MPLabourNewcastle upon Tyne East and WallsendAlison Hume MPLabourScarborough and WhitbyWill Stone MPLabourSwindon NorthMartin Vickers MPConservativeBrigg and ImminghamChris Vince MPLabourHarlow

Changes since 2024 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 9 December 2024 Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) Aldridge-Brownhills → Martin Vickers MP (Conservative) Brigg and Immingham Hansard 3 March 2025 Jack Abbott MP (Labour) Ipswich → Jonathan Davies MP (Labour) Mid Derbyshire Hansard 13 November 2025 Jess Brown-Fuller MP (Liberal Democrats) Chichester → Lee Dillon MP (Liberal Democrats) Newbury Hansard

2020–2024 Parliament Member Party ConstituencyIan Mearns MP (chair)LabourGatesheadBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastKevin Foster MP ConservativeTorbayPatricia Gibson MPSNPNorth Ayrshire and ArranChris Green MP ConservativeBolton WestNigel Mills MP ConservativeAmber ValleyWendy Morton MPConservativeAldridge-BrownhillsKate Osborne MPLabourJarrow

Changes from 2021–2024 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 2 November 2021 Gareth Bacon MP (Conservative) Orpington → Duncan Baker MP (Conservative) North Norfolk Hansard 15 March 2022 Duncan Baker MP (Conservative) North Norfolk → Chris Green MP (Conservative) Bolton West Hansard David Johnston MP (Conservative) Wantage Jerome Mayhew MP (Conservative) Broadland 3 May 2022 Imran Ahmad Khan MP (Independent) Wakefield → Vacant Resignation of member from Parliament 21 November 2022 Jerome Mayhew MP (Conservative) Broadland → Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) Aldridge-Brownhills Hansard

2020 election The chair was elected on 27 January 2020, with members being announced on 2 March 2020. Member Party ConstituencyIan Mearns MP (chair)LabourGatesheadNickie Aiken MP ConservativeCities of London and WestminsterBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastFiona Bruce MP ConservativeCongletonPatricia Gibson MP SNPNorth Ayrshire and ArranNigel Mills MP ConservativeAmber ValleyLia Nici MP ConservativeGreat GrimsbyClaudia Webbe MPLabourLeicester East

Changes 2020-2021 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 20 July 2020 Nickie Aiken MP (Conservative) Cities of London and Westminster → Gareth Bacon MP (Conservative) Orpington Hansard 18 January 2021 Fiona Bruce MP (Conservative) Congleton → Imran Ahmad Khan MP (Conservative) Wakefield Hansard 1 March 2021 Lia Nici MP (Conservative) Great Grimsby → David Johnston MP (Conservative) Wantage Hansard

2017 election The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with members being announced on 11 September 2017. Member Party ConstituencyIan Mearns MP (chair)LabourGatesheadBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastRehman Chishti MP ConservativeGillingham and RainhamPatricia Gibson MP SNPNorth Ayrshire and ArranJess Phillips MPLabourBirmingham YardleyAlex Sobel MPLabourLeeds North WestWilliam Wragg MP ConservativeHazel Grove

Changes 2017-2019 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 16 October 2017 New seat → Robert Courts MP (Conservative) Witney Hansard 23 October 2017 Rehman Chishti MP (Conservative) Gillingham and Rainham → Chris Davies MP (Conservative) Brecon and Radnorshire Hansard 19 March 2018 Robert Courts MP (Conservative) Witney → Nigel Mills MP (Conservative) Amber Valley Hansard 23 April 2018 Chris Davies MP (Conservative) Brecon and Radnorshire → Colin Clark MP (Conservative) Gordon Hansard

2016 election The chair was elected on 24 May 2016, with members being announced on 13 June 2016. Member Party ConstituencyIan Mearns MP (chair)LabourGatesheadBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastKevin Foster MP ConservativeTorbayWendy Morton MP ConservativeAldridge-BrownhillsGavin Newlands MP SNPPaisley and Renfrewshire NorthDavid Nuttall MP ConservativeBury NorthJess Phillips MPLabourBirmingham YardleyWilliam Wragg MP ConservativeHazel Grove

Changes 2016-2017 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 31 October 2016 Wendy Morton MP (Conservative) Aldridge-Brownhills → Dr Dan Poulter MP (Conservative) Central Suffolk and North Ipswich Hansard 30 January 2017 Dr Dan Poulter MP (Conservative) Central Suffolk and North Ipswich → Robert Courts MP (Conservative) Witney Hansard

2015 election The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 20 July 2015.

Member Party ConstituencyIan Mearns MP (chair)LabourGatesheadBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastPeter Bone MP ConservativeWellingboroughPhilip Hollobone MP ConservativeKetteringGavin Newlands MP SNPPaisley and Renfrewshire NorthDavid Nuttall MP ConservativeBury NorthJess Phillips MPLabourBirmingham Yardley

Changes 2015-2016 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 14 December 2015 New seat → Kevin Foster MP (Conservative) Torbay Hansard

2014 election The chair was elected on 11 June 2014, with members being elected on 30 June 2014.

Member Party ConstituencyNatascha Engel MP (chair)LabourNorth East DerbyshireDavid Amess MP ConservativeSouthend WestDavid Anderson MPLabourBlaydonBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastOliver Colvile MP ConservativePlymouth Sutton and DevonportJohn Hemming MP Liberal DemocratsBirmingham YardleyIan Mearns MPLabourGateshead

2013 election The chair was elected on 15 May 2013, with members being elected on 10 June 2013.

Member Party ConstituencyNatascha Engel MP (chair)LabourNorth East DerbyshireDavid Amess MP ConservativeSouthend WestDavid Anderson MPLabourBlaydonBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastJane Ellison MP ConservativeBatterseaJohn Hemming MP Liberal DemocratsBirmingham YardleyMarcus Jones MP ConservativeNuneatonIan Mearns MPLabourGateshead

Changes 2013-2014 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 4 November 2013 Jane Ellison MP (Conservative) Battersea → Mark Spencer MP (Conservative) Sherwood Hansard 4 November 2013 Marcus Jones MP (Conservative) Nuneaton → Oliver Colvile MP (Conservative) Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Hansard Mark Spencer MP (Conservative) Sherwood Alec Shelbrooke MP (Conservative) Elmet and Rothwell

2012 election The chair was elected on 16 May 2012, with members being elected on 12 June 2012. Member Party ConstituencyNatascha Engel MP (chair)LabourNorth East DerbyshireDavid Amess MP ConservativeSouthend WestDavid Anderson MPLabourBlaydonBob Blackman MP ConservativeHarrow EastJane Ellison MP ConservativeBatterseaJohn Hemming MP Liberal DemocratsBirmingham YardleyMarcus Jones MP ConservativeNuneatonIan Mearns MPLabourGateshead

2010 election The chair was elected on 22 June 2010, with members being elected on 29 June 2010.

Member Party ConstituencyNatascha Engel MP (chair)LabourNorth East DerbyshireDavid Anderson MPLabourBlaydonPeter Bone MP ConservativeWellingboroughPhilip Davies MP ConservativeShipleyJane Ellison MP ConservativeBatterseaJohn Hemming MP Liberal DemocratsBirmingham YardleyPhilip Hollobone MP ConservativeKetteringAlison Seabeck MPLabourPlymouth Moor View

By-elections 2010-2012 Date of resignation Outgoing Member& Party Constituency Source Date of by-election New Member& Party Constituency Source 3 November 2010David Anderson MP (Labour)Blaydon Hansard8 November 2010Ian Mearns MP (Labour)Gateshead HansardAlison Seabeck MP (Labour)Plymouth Moor ViewGeorge Mudie MP (Labour)Leeds East

Review When it created the committee, the House resolved to review the committee's work at the beginning of the 2011/12 session. The Leader of the House of Commons, Sir George Young, stated that the purpose of the review was to help reach the next phase of implementing the Wright Committee report: setting up a committee to manage substantially all House business.House of Commons Debates 15 June 2010 v511 c782

References