House of Commons Recess Dates
The House of Commons of the United Kingdom has various recesses during the year.
All of the recess dates are usually announced/confirmed in the House of Commons by the Leader of the House of Commons. The precise pattern of recesses can change, and is normally slightly different for the two Houses.
During a recess, Members of Parliament (MPs) can spend more time in their constituency, talk to their constituents, and contemplate about what they are going to do to solve any problems that their constituents raise (for example, they may start to prepare speeches, which they will read to the Minister concerned when the house returns, and the recess ends).
The recess dates may be changed at any time, and during the recess; if required, the Speaker of the House of Commons can call all Houses back, both during recesses, and also during weekends if necessary (as the House does not normally sit during recesses, or weekends).
An example of the Speaker calling the House of Commons back, was on Wednesday 10 April 2013, when the House was called back to pay tributes to Baroness Thatcher. More recently, the Speaker of the House of Commons agreed to recall Parliament from recess on 20 June 2016, following the death of Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen.[1]
A motion making changing to recess dates, was agreed on 2 December 2013. The session in which a recess falls is subject to change.[lower-roman 1][lower-roman 2][lower-roman 3]
Recess Dates: 2016 – 2017 Session
The Leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, announced the recess dates up to January 2017 in the Business Statement given on Thursday 10 March 2016. The State Opening for the 2016-17 session took place on Wednesday 18 May 2016.
| General Election 2015: | 7 May 2015 | ||
| Recess | House rises | House returns | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter | 24 March 2016 | 11 April 2016 | |
| Early May Bank Holiday | 28 April 2016 | 3 May 2016 | |
| Whitsun | 26 May 2016 | 6 June 2016 | |
| Recess (European Membership Referendum Campaigning) | 15 June 2016 | 27 June 2016 | |
| Summer | 21 July 2016 | 5 September 2016 | |
| Conference | 15 September 2016 | 10 October 2016 | |
| November: | 8 November 2016 | 14 November 2016 | |
| Christmas: | 20 December 2016 | 9 January 2017 | |
| State Opening: | Wednesday 18 May 2016 |
Recess Dates: 2015 – 2016 Session
(The Leader of the House of Commons announced the recess dates up to February 2016 in the Business Statement given on Thursday 28 May 2015, following the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 27 May 2015).[2]
This is following the Conservative Majority at the General Election 2015. Speaker of the House Of Commons for 2015-2020: John Bercow MP.
| General Election 2015: | 7 May 2015 | |
| Recess | House rises | House returns |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | 21 July 2015 | 7 September 2015 |
| Conference | 17 September 2015 | 12 October 2015 |
| November | 10 November 2015 | 16 November 2015 |
| Christmas | 17 December 2015 | 5 January 2016 |
| February | 11 February 2016 | 22 February 2016 |
| Easter | 24 March 2016 | 11 April 2016 |
| State Opening: | Wednesday 27 May 2015 | |
Recess Dates: 2014 – 2015 Session
(Recess dates up to January 2015 were announced by the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons in the Business Statement, which was given on 24 October 2013).
| Recess | House rises | House returns |
|---|---|---|
| Whitsun | 22 May 2014 | 2 June 2014 |
| Summer | 22 July 2014 | 1 September 2014 |
| Conference | 11 September 2014 | 13 October 2014 |
| November | 11 November 2014 | 17 November 2014 |
| Christmas | 18 December 2014 | 5 January 2015 |
| State Opening: | 4 June 2014 | |
| Dissolution of Parliament: | 30 March 2015 | |
| General Election 2015: | 7 May 2015 | |
Following the dissolution of Parliament, it should be noted that there are no MPs until after the General Election on May 7, 2015. Parliament is NOT sitting but this does not affect the Government or Ministerial Departments – each Minister is still head of his/her respective department, until Her Majesty the Queen appoints a new Government following the General election, although if the Conservative Party wins, then it is likely that many of the Conservative ministers in the present government will retain their post.
Recess Dates: 2013 – 2014 Session
| Recess | House Rises | House Returns |
|---|---|---|
| Whitsun | 21 May 2013 | 3 June 2013 |
| Summer | 18 July 2013 | 2 September 2013 |
| Conference | 13 September 2013 | 8 October 2013 |
| November | 12 November 2013 | 18 November 2013 |
| Christmas | 19 December 2013 | 6 January 2014 |
| February | 13 February 2014 | 24 February 2014 |
| Easter | 10 April 2014 | 28 April 2014 |
| May Day | 1 May 2014 | 6 May 2014 |
| State Opening: 8 May 2013 | ||
| Recall: 29 August 2013 |
Recess dates: 2012–2013 session
| Recess | House rises | House returns |
|---|---|---|
| Whitsun | 24 May 2012 | 11 June 2012 |
| Summer | 17 July 2012 | 3 September 2012 |
| Conference | 18 September 2012 | 15 October 2012 |
| Autumn | 13 November 2012 | 19 November 2012 |
| Christmas | 20 December 2012 | 7 January 2013 |
| State Opening: | 9 May 2012 | |
Notes
- ↑ Note: Recess dates may be provisional.
- ↑ To check the latest recess dates for the House of Commons, please visit the House of Commons Recess Dates on the UK Parliament’s official website.
- ↑ To check the Recess dates for the House of Lords, please visit The House of Lords Recess Dates on the UK Parliament's Official Website.
References
- ↑ "MPs pay tribute to Jo Cox MP". www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ↑ "Recess Dates – Official UK Parliament Website". Retrieved 30 May 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Previous Commons Recess Dates - Official UK Parliament Website". Retrieved 30 May 2015.