Debates on petitions in Westminster Hall are general debates about the issues raised by the petition. The debates take place on the motion: “That this House has considered” the relevant petition. This allows you to discuss the petition and related concerns, ask questions about the Government’s position, or press the Government to take action.
A member of the Petitions Committee opens the debate, and can speak for or against the petition. After the contributions from backbenchers, there are contributions from the two main Opposition parties and a response from a minister. The MP who has opened the debate will often have a few minutes at the end to sum up.
Petition debates are shown live on parliamentlive.tv, and the Hansard report is published online within four hours.