Early Day Motions
Early Day Motions (EDMs) are a
formal method by which MPs can submit an issue for debate in Parliament. EDMs
have no specific day set for the issue to be debated but are scheduled to be
debated at "an early day" - in practice, few are ever debated on the floor of
the House.
EDMs function as a way of publicising an individual MP's
views on an issue and to demonstrate levels of support within Parliament for
that issue or point of view. In the 2005-06 session, EDM 178, calling for a
Climate Change Bill, was signed by 412 of 646 MPs - it is rare that EDMs
receive such high levels of support.
Once tabled, an EDM remains open
for MPs to sign until the end of that Parliamentary session. support.
Download House
of Commons Information Office Factsheets - Early Day Motions PDF.
See
a list of Early Day
Motions tabled on the last ten sitting days.
Search the
Early Day Motions
database.