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The Bench Report
UK Parliament Recall: Why and How MPs Return from Recess
This episode examines the concept of recalling the UK Parliament and its devolved legislatures when they are on a break or recess. We'll learn why recalls happen, often for urgent matters like national crises, legislation, or tributes. The procedure for triggering a recall differs between the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Ireland Parliaments. We'll also touch on the costs involved and historical examples, including calls for changing the system in the UK Parliament.
Key Takeaways
- Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords) can be called back from a break (recess).
- In the House of Commons, the Speaker decides on a recall, but only after government ministers ask and the Speaker agrees it's in the public interest.
- There have been suggestions and proposals to allow MPs or the Speaker, not just the government, to request a recall.
- MPs' necessary travel costs for attending a recall are paid by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).
- The House of Lords also has a recall procedure, led by the Lord Speaker after consulting the government, and usually happens when the Commons is recalled.
- Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own rules for recalling their legislatures, which differ from the UK Parliament.
- Reasons for recall vary widely, from urgent laws like the Steel Industry Bill in 2025 to debates on international events or public disorder.
- Sitting on a Saturday is very unusual for the House of Commons, but it can happen if the House is recalled.
Important Definitions and Concepts
- Recall of Parliament: The process of bringing the House of Commons or House of Lords back into session during a period when they are adjourned or in recess.
- Standing Orders: The permanent rules that govern the procedures and conduct of business within the House of Commons or other legislatures.
Source: Recall of Parliament
Research Briefing
Published Tuesday, 27 May, 2025
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No outside chatter: source material only taken from Hansard and the Parliament UK website.
Contains Parliamentary information repurposed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
Hello, and welcome once more to The Bench Report. You're listening to Amy and Ivan.
SPEAKER_00:Another series this week on the workings of the UK Parliament.
SPEAKER_01:Today's episode looks at recall procedure.
SPEAKER_00:We're looking into how Parliament gets called back to Westminster when it's meant to be on a break, a recess.
SPEAKER_01:We'll cover the rules for both the Commons and the Lords, look at some recent times it's happened, and touch on ideas for changing things.
SPEAKER_00:So recall, it sounds straightforward, but what are we actually talking about here?
SPEAKER_01:It's essentially bringing MPs or Lords back to work, isn't it? When they were scheduled to be on.
SPEAKER_00:Exactly. Back to Westminster for urgent business during a period they'd normally be in recess holidays, constituency work, that sort of thing. It's always triggered by something significant.
SPEAKER_01:OK, let's focus on the House of Commons first. How does it work there? Who gets to decide?
SPEAKER_00:Well, the formal power lies with the Speaker of the House of Commons.
SPEAKER_01:The Speaker?
SPEAKER_00:Yes. Understanding Order No. 13, that's been the rule since about 1947, the Speaker decides if the public interest demands Parliament comes back.
SPEAKER_01:But it's not quite as simple as the Speaker just deciding off their own bat, is it? There's a condition.
SPEAKER_00:That's the crucial part. The Speaker can only act based on representations made by government ministers.
SPEAKER_01:Ah. So the government has to ask first.
SPEAKER_00:Precisely. While the speaker has the final say, yes or no, the whole process has to be kicked off by the government. The MPs themselves collectively can't make that initial request.
SPEAKER_01:And this mechanism, it gets used reasonably often. What sorts of things cause a recall?
SPEAKER_00:It does. Since 1947, the commons has been recalled 35 times. The reasons really vary.
SPEAKER_01:Which is?
SPEAKER_00:The most recent was April 2025, actually, for a bill about the steel industry. And what was really unusual was that it happened on a Saturday.
SPEAKER_01:A Saturday sitting. That sounds quite rare.
SPEAKER_00:Very rare. First Saturday recall since the Falklands War in 1982, I believe. It certainly highlights the urgency.
SPEAKER_01:Definitely. What other kinds of events trigger recalls?
SPEAKER_00:Big international crises often do it. Think Afghanistan in 2020. MPs needed to debate the situation. Also, significant national events, often sad ones. Yes, recalls for tributes after the deaths of prominent figures like Prince Philip in 2021 or Joe Cox in 2016, Baroness Thatcher back in 2013.
SPEAKER_01:And legislation, too, presumably, if something urgent needs passing.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. The EU Future Relationship Bill in late 2020 needed quick approval after the deal was struck. And during the COVID pandemic, there were recalls for urgent health regulations. Even public disorder, like the riots in 2011, led to a recall.
SPEAKER_01:So the current system gives the government the keys. Essentially, they decide whether to ask the speaker. And that's led to some debate, hasn't it, about whether that's the right approach?
SPEAKER_00:It has. The main concern is about parliamentary scrutiny. If parliament's job is to hold the government accountable, should it depend on that same government to decide if it meets during a potential crisis?
SPEAKER_01:It feels like a potential conflict of interest or at least a power imbalance. The legislature needing the executive's permission to convene.
SPEAKER_00:That's exactly the argument, which is why there have been proposals for change to give the House or groups of MPs more say.
SPEAKER_01:What sort of proposals?
SPEAKER_00:Well, former Speaker John Burkhouse suggested back in 2017 that alongside the How many MPs? The idea was to make the House feel more like it belonged to the members, not just the government of the day.
SPEAKER_01:Were there earlier thoughts along similar lines?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, even before that. In 2007, the Labor government looked at plans, though they never actually implemented them, that might have allowed the speaker to consider a request from a majority of MPs, even without the government asking.
SPEAKER_01:So the general push is towards giving Parliament or the speaker acting on behalf of members a bit more independence and deciding to come back.
SPEAKER_00:That's the direction of these reform ideas. Yes. Allowing the speaker potentially more power, maybe after consulting party leaders or directly responding to a strong request from MPs so parliament can react quickly when needed.
SPEAKER_01:Just a practical point. If MPs are suddenly called back from, say, their constituencies or even abroad, what about the cost?
SPEAKER_00:That's covered. IPSA, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, handles the necessary track expenses for MPs during a recall.
SPEAKER_01:And how does this compare elsewhere? What about the House of Lords or the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland?
SPEAKER_00:The Lords procedure is very similar to the Commons. The Lord Speaker decides, but again, after consulting the government, they tend to be recalled together with the Commons.
SPEAKER_01:And the devolved nations?
SPEAKER_00:They have different rules. In Scotland, the Presiding Officer can recall the Parliament in an emergency without waiting for the government. In Northern Ireland, the Speaker can recall based on a request from the first and deputy first ministers, or if at least 30 members ask.
SPEAKER_01:So more power for members there.
SPEAKER_00:In that case, yes. And in the Senedd in Wales, the presiding officer can recall either if the first minister asks or after consulting the first minister and a key committee. So there's definitely variation across the UK.
SPEAKER_01:It highlights that fundamental question, doesn't it? Should the body scrutinizing the government depend solely on that government to call it back in urgent times?
SPEAKER_00:It's a key point in the debate about parliamentary power and responsiveness.
SPEAKER_01:As always, find us on social media at Bench Report UK. Get in touch with any topic important to you.
SPEAKER_00:Next in the series, exploring the subjudice rule, preventing MPs from discussing matters actively before the courts. See you then.
