Deputy Leader of the House of the Commons - The Role
The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons is the Government Department charged with organising the business of the House, ensuring the smooth progress of the Government’s legislative programme, and upholding the wider rights and interests of the House.
This Department is also responsible for the implementing the Government’s Programme of Constitutional Reform, which seeks to modernise and increase the powers of Parliament, enhance the rights and responsibilities of citizens and renew our democratic institutions.
The Office of the Leader of the House also fulfils the following functions:
● Prepares the Queens Speech and translates it into parliamentary Bills
● Monitors MPs pay, pensions and allowances
● Submits proposals for the modernisation of the House of Commons
● Monitors the funding of political parties
● Answers written parliamentary questions and weekly oral Business Questions (which last for an hour from 11:30 on Thursday mornings), where the Shadow Leader of the House and backbenchers have the opportunity to ask the Leader of the House any question related to parliamentary business.
In 2005/06, there were 34 sessions of Business Questions, and the Department responded to 189 written questions.
Helen’s responsibilities as Deputy Leader of the House broadly fall into two brackets:
i) Supporting the Leader of the House in her various parliamentary and wider ministerial duties (see bullet points above)
ii) Leading the Government in parliamentary debates, answering written and oral parliamentary questions, fulfilling the Government’s legislative programme, responding to freedom of information requests, and reviewing members’ pensions scheme.
Helen has recently played a key role in the parliamentary scrutiny of the EU Reform Treaty, and regularly represents the Government in House of Commons debates.
You can find out more about the Office of Leader of House of Commons here
