MPs to take part in Westminster Hall debate to mark World Social Work Day

MPs are to take part in a Westminster Hall debate on Thursday to mark World Social Work Day 2021.

The application for a debate was granted after a successful application by Conservative David Simmonds MP, Co-Chair of the Social Work All-Party Parliamentary Group, who will lead the debate alongside Labour’s Emma Lewell-Buck, a former social worker.

To enable virtual proceedings, the debate will take place in a Parliamentary committee room instead of Westminster Hall, which is the normal location for Westminster Hall debates.

Westminster Hall debates give MPs an opportunity to raise local or national issues and receive a response from a government minister, with any MP able to take part in a debate.

Writing on Twitter, Public and Political Affairs Lead for the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Kerri Prince encouraged people to email their MP and ask them to speak in the debate.

“We'll be circulating a briefing to MPs, but an email from you as their constituent would go a long way to raising the profile of the debate,” Prince said.

The debate will begin at 3:15pm on Thursday 18 March and will last 90 minutes, being streamed live online.

Debates in Westminster Hall take place on ‘general debate' motions expressed in neutral terms, meaning motions are worded for the house to ‘consider’ them.

Amendments to such motions cannot be tabled and votes cannot take place in Westminster Hall.