e-petition on extra charges for school holidays: debated by MPs today at 4.30pm

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

On further reading, this is a stupid motion, whipped up due to half term fever, when actually parliament should be discussing the ongoing problems in the fragile democracies in this world, such as Ukraine and Syria.

UKParliament

rochja wrote: »

If an e-petition gets 100,000 signatures it is considered for debate. Since the HoP know there is very little they can do about free market economics especially in overseas markets this is a particularly pointless and hence safe topic to debate. What I would like to know is twofold: What proportion of petitions that achieve 100,000 signatures are debated, and given the plethora of petitions that arise on the same topic, should the condition not be a debate when the topic rather than any individual petition achieves the magic milestone?

Hi rochja

While not wanting to take the thread off topic from the petition about costs around school holidays we just wanted to respond to a couple of your questions.

First - the petitions that have been debated (following a representation by an MP to the Backbench Business Committee after reaching the 100,000 signatures threshold) can be found at House of Commons debates on e-petitions which reached the 100,000 signatory threshold (this dates from 2011-2013, the e-petition process was introduced in the Summer of 2011).

To find out more you can visit e-petitions and the Backbench Business Committee

Around your second question - should the condition not be a debate when the topic rather than any individual petition achieves the magic milestone? - the e-petitions website run by the government recommends:

Before you create a new e-petition, search the site to make sure there isn’t one that covers your issue. If a new e-petition is the same as one that’s already on the site, it will be rejected.

(http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/how-it-works).

e-petitions are an opportunity for the public to voice their views or concerns around a certain topic - raising them in Parliament can be a way of getting peoples voices heard and focussing on the topics current to the public.

Not all e-petitions that reach the 100,000 signatures threshold are debated by Parliament but some, such as this one, do!

We hope this answers your questions?

Thanks
DOT

UKParliament

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth wrote: »

On further reading, this is a stupid motion, whipped up due to half term fever, when actually parliament should be discussing the ongoing problems in the fragile democracies in this world, such as Ukraine and Syria.

Hi Blackbeard of Perranporth

Syria and Ukraine will be discussed during a Statement from William Hague from 3.30pm this afternoon in the House of Commons Chamber, available to watch at Parliament TV Player

Thanks!
DOT

holidaysforme

In a few years I won't be tied to school holidays. I am looking forward to holidaying in non peak periods where flight prices and hotels ect are cheaper.
I will have done my stint as a parent who has to go away in the school holidays.
The last thing I would want is to surrounded by other peoples children when I'm on holiday in June or September.:eek:
For that reason alone I'm against the whole idea.:rotfl:

anotheruser

While I do understand, this could be said for anything as it is simply a case of supply and demand.

If lots of people click on the same flight or Amazon product, the price goes up.

People seem to think their children need a holiday away somewhere, so while there is demand, the prices will stay high.

Doshwaster

I look forward to a similar debate on why roses are more expensive on Valentines Day or babysitters cost more on New Year's Eve.

KonkyWonky

This is ridiculous. It's simple supply and demand.

Why should I subsidise other peoples holiday purely because they want to travel in peak times and I travel outwith them?

jonesMUFCforever

I actually agree with both sides of this argument!


My solution is for the government to bring back the right of parents to withdraw their children for a maximum of 10 days in the school year for a holiday.
This would cost the nation NOTHING - any rules passed/discussed from London/Brussels will cost everybody more.

fifeken

Good to see that "no MP backed price regulation. . . . and the Government also rejected the idea".

BBC report here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26289805

bsms1147

Or... prices during half-term are the 'normal' prices, and the term-time ones are heavily discounted to try and entice people into them. Again, supply and demand.

Funny when people look at it like that they have less of an argument.