Saturday sitting is only sixth of its kind since Second World War

When the House of Commons meets on Saturday, it will be only the sixth time since the end of the Second World War that MPs have held a sitting on this day of the week.

The most recent occasion was on September 10 2022, to allow members to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II who had died two days earlier.

A Saturday sitting took place on October 19 2019, for MPs to discuss the terms of the Government’s latest deal to leave the European Union.

Both of these sittings occurred during a period when Parliament was already in session, meaning MPs were not officially “recalled” to Westminster.

However, the sitting being held this Saturday, to discuss the future of British Steel, is classed as a recall, as it is taking place while Parliament is in recess.

A recall for a Saturday sitting of the House of Commons has not occurred since 1982.

MPs were summoned to Westminster on Saturday April 3 of that year to discuss Argentina’s invasion of the Falkland Islands, which had begun the previous day.

There have been two other instances since the end of the Second World War in 1945 of MPs sitting on a Saturday.

These were on July 30 1949, to complete debates ahead of Parliament adjourning for the summer; and on November 3 1956, to discuss the UK’s involvement in Israel’s recent invasion of Egypt, or what became known as the Suez crisis.

Both of these sittings took place within a session of Parliament and so were not recalls.

Historical information on sittings comes from the House of Commons library.