PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Speaker’s Statement - 1 September 2026 (Commons/Commons Chamber)

I inform the House that I have received letters from the hon. Member for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green (Florence Eshalomi) informing me of her resignation as Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Chiswick (Andy Slaughter) informing me of his resignation as Chair of the Justice Committee and the hon. Member for Luton North (Sarah Owen) informing me of her resignation as Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee. I therefore declare those Chairs vacant.

Nominations for the elections to fill those vacancies are now open and will close at 2.30 pm on Monday 7 September. Nomination forms will be available from the Vote Office, the Table Office and the Public Bill Office. Only Members from the Labour party may be candidates in these elections. If there is more than one candidate in any election, the ballot will take place on Monday 14 September between 3 pm and 6 pm in the Aye Lobby.

I remind Members that new rules in relation to campaigning for Select Committee Chair elections, which were proposed by the Procedure Committee, were endorsed by the House on 28 April 2026. A briefing note with more information will be made available from the Vote Office and online.