Do You Know What an Adjournment Debate is?

An adjournment debate is simply a way in the Commons of having a general debate without requiring the House to vote on the issue. In other words, the Commons holds a general open-ended debate on a subject or a government policy without reaching a formal decision about it.

In the Commons chamber -

There is a half-hour adjournment debate at the end of each day’s sitting. 

Subject matters of adjournment debates are varied; examples include debates on defence issues, pensions and combating benefit fraud. The Speaker chooses Thursday’s subject; for other days, MPs are selected by ballot.

At the end of the day’s business, which is normally 10pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 7pm on Wednesdays, 6pm on Thursdays and 2.30pm on Fridays, the Speaker calls to move ‘That this House do now adjourn’ which indicates the end of that day's sitting and the beginning of the half-hour adjournment debates.

The MP who requested the topic up for discussion in the adjournment debate is called to speak and a Minister will reply. The MP has no right of response to the Minister, but can intervene in the Minister’s speech if he or she is willing to allow it (called ‘giving way’).

General debates are often held on what is called 'a motion for the adjournment'. 

The MP who requested the adjournment debate starts to make their speech on the subject and a government Minister then responds to it. At the end of the half-hour debate the motion for the adjournment of the House is put forward again and agreed to - signalling the end of the day's business.