Inquiry · 26 November 2024 → 16 October 2025
Proxy Voting: Review of arrangements introduced in the 2024–25 Session
From: Procedure Committee
What this inquiry is asking
The Procedure Committee reviewed how proxy voting arrangements introduced in the 2024–25 session are working in practice. Proxy voting allows MPs to vote remotely when absent due to health issues, pregnancy, childbirth, or fertility treatment. The inquiry examined whether these temporary and newly-permanent schemes are operating as intended, and whether they should be extended or made permanent.
Headline findings
- Committee reaffirmed 'first principles': proxy voting should remain tied to physical absence from Parliament estate due to health-related reasons, and the scheme's integrity should be maintained
- Found scheme has 'evolved beyond its initial stated aims' since 2019 introduction, with 335 of 650 newly-elected MPs (51%) unfamiliar with original assumptions underpinning it
- Supported extending ill-health proxy voting arrangements, but flagged that permanent changes to voting procedures require careful consideration
- Government accepted the Committee's framing and committed to tabling a motion to extend ill-health proxy votes until end of current Parliament
Why it matters
How Parliament votes and who can participate affects the legitimacy of legislation and representation — these rules shape whether modern MPs (many with caring responsibilities) can effectively serve their constituents.
Tone arc
Largely consensual. Committee established foundational principles early, Government Response (September 2025) mirrored the Committee's language and endorsed extending arrangements, suggesting alignment between Committee and Government on core issues.
Themes
Key witnesses
Sir Alan Campbell (Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons), Cat Smith (Procedure Committee Chair)
Outcome verdict
Government accepted the Committee's core recommendation: extended ill-health proxy voting until end of Parliament and reaffirmed that the scheme should be tied to physical absence due to health reasons, with permanent changes requiring further careful review by the Modernisation Committee.
Outcome
Responding to: 2nd Report - Proxy voting: Review of arrangements introduced in Session 2024-25
The Government accepts the Committee's core recommendations. It will extend ill-health proxy voting and pregnancy-related arrangements until end of Parliament on a permanent basis. It supports a future review of proxy voting coordinated with other committee inquiries into accessibility and health/wellbeing. The Government maintains that informal voting mechanisms remain effective and should be better publicised. It rejects immediate extension of proxy voting to additional circumstances, pending further evidence and wider accessibility reviews. The Procedure Committee is endorsed as the appropriate forum for voting procedure reforms.
Reports & Government Responses
Special Report · 16 October 2025 · HC 1353
Report · 21 July 2025 · HC 489
2nd Report - Proxy voting: Review of arrangements introduced in Session 2024-25
Themes & actors
Topics across publication summaries
Top organisations & named entities
- Procedure Committee·2 references
- Sir Alan Campbell (Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons)·1 reference
- Cat Smith (Procedure Committee Chair)·1 reference
- Modernisation Committee·1 reference
- Administration Committee·1 reference
- Government·1 reference
- Cat Smith·1 reference
- Leader of the House of Commons·1 reference
- Speaker of the House of Commons·1 reference
- Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service·1 reference
Source · parliament.uk inquiry record ↗