When most people think about debates in Parliament, they often think of the cut and thrust of debate in the House of Commons chamber. But there is another type of debate that happens on days when Parliament is sitting. And those debates can be a really effective way to raise an issue and get a response from a government minister.
What are Westminster Hall debates?
Westminster Hall is one of my favourite parts of the Parliamentary estate – steeped in so much history and national significance. At the time of writing this post, it is currently also the location in which Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is lying-in-state.
However, despite their name, Westminster Hall debates don’t actually take place in the historic Westminster Hall, but in the Grand Committee Room just off Westminster Hall.
Compared to debates in the main chamber, Westminster Hall debates have the huge advantage that they have more time available to delve into an issue in more detail than is normally possible elsewhere. They are also less combative in tone compared to debates in the main chamber, allowing a more nuanced debate to take place. This makes them a really effective vehicle for organisations seeking to influence the policy agenda to give their issue some meaningful airtime.
The format of a Westminster Hall debate
In a similar way to Early Day Motions, the motion for debate in a Westminster Hall debate is presented as a neutral statement – beginning ‘That this House has considered…’. Debate topics can either be local or national issues.
How topics are selected
Debates in Westminster Hall can be on a variety of topics. Any MP can request a debate in Westminster Hall, and debates are selected in a variety of ways, according to the Parliament’s Standing Orders. Some debate topics are drawn from the petitions that the public can choose to support (for debates on Mondays). Other debate topics may be selected by a ballot arranged by the Speaker’s office (for debates on Tuesdays and Wednesdays), while the Backbench Business Committee will select debates on Thursdays.
Work with a supportive MP
Westminster Hall debates are a really good way for individual MPs to raise issues that they are particularly passionate about.
If your organisation wants to see a debate in Westminster Hall on a particular issue, you’ll first need to approach a supportive MP that you have a good relationship with. You may have developed that relationship through an All-Party Parliamentary Group, via their support for an Early Day Motion, as part of your public affairs strategy to identify parliamentarians who are sympathetic to your cause, or, of course, at a constituency level.
They will probably ask you to help their parliamentary staff to draft the motion for debate. Once that is done, they will submit it through the appropriate channel. It’s then a case of waiting to see if their motion is selected for debate.
Prepare good briefings
If and when the motion is selected for debate, you’ll need to produce some good briefing materials for the sponsor of the debate, and for other MPs who might take part.
At this point, some people make the mistake of using the same briefing document for the debate sponsor and for other MPs. In my opinion, it is good practice to offer the sponsor a more detailed background briefing with some unique points for them to raise.
The briefing should summarise the key issues, outline what you think should change, and offer up some key speaking points. (I’ll return to the question of what makes a good parliamentary briefing in a future post.)
Encourage MPs to take part
You will also want to encourage other MPs to take part in the debate – after all, it won’t be much of a debate if only a few people turn up! It’s a really simple and effective call to action to ask MPs to take part in Westminster Hall debates. If you’ve got supporters and campaigners at constituency level, they can also ask their local MP to take part too, which will also help give them some relevant constituency perspective too.
The debate itself
The length of a Westminster Hall debate will depend on the topic for debate. Typically, for a debate on a national issue where there may be a lot of MPs keen to speak, the debate can last for an hour and a half. For debates on local issues, the debates normally last for 30 minutes.
MPs speaking in Westminster Hall debates are normally eager to bring local perspectives – reflecting what they are seeing or hearing in their constituency.
In my opinion, debates in Westminster Hall tend to be more thoughtful and reflective than debates in the main chamber, making them ideally suited for more complex issues and topics.
The government’s response
All debates in Westminster Hall end with a reasonably detailed response from the relevant government minister. This is one of the things that makes Westminster Hall debates such a useful influencing tool. The Minister will have had to have been briefed on the topic, which means that their officials will have had to do their research. If you’re fortunate to have a good relationship with the officials, this can add significant value.
Having a formal government response on record is incredibly valuable. It gives you a solid foundation on which to follow up with relevant officials, especially where the government may have committed to take specific steps.
A valuable influencing tool
Westminster Hall debates are, in my opinion, an unsung hero of Parliamentary process in the policy influencing world. They provide space both for meaningful discussion of complex topics and local constituency issues which would be hard to find elsewhere. They are a fantastic way to build relationships with MPs – either as potential sponsors or debate participants. And with a formal government response on record, they provide a really valuable platform for any organisation trying to shape the policy agenda.
What is your experience of Westminster Hall debates? Share your comments below.
If your organisation is looking to do more policy influencing work, and would like some pro bono advice, I’d be happy to have a chat. Just drop me a line.
thepolicycoach.co.uk 