The House of Commons of the United Kingdom has various recesses during the year.
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All of the recess dates are usually announced/confirmed in the House of Commons by the Leader of the House of Commons. The precise pattern of recesses can change, and is normally slightly different for the two Houses.
During a recess, Members of Parliament (MPs) can spend more time in their constituency, talk to their constituents, and contemplate about what they are going to do to solve any problems that their constituents raise (for example, they may start to prepare speeches, which they will read to the Minister concerned when the house returns, and the recess ends).
The recess dates may be changed at any time, and during the recess; if required, the Speaker of the House of Commons can call all Houses back, both during recesses, and also during weekends if necessary (as the House does not normally sit during recesses, or weekends).
An example of the Speaker calling the House of Commons back, was on Wednesday 10 April 2013, when the House was called back to pay tributes to Baroness Thatcher. More recently, the Speaker of the House of Commons agreed to recall Parliament from recess on 20 June 2016, following the death of Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen.
A motion making changing to recess dates, was agreed on 2 December 2013. The session in which a recess falls is subject to change.
Recess Dates: 2016–2017 Session
The Leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, announced the recess dates up to January 2017 in the Business Statement given on Thursday 10 March 2016. The State Opening for the 2016–17 session took place on Wednesday 18 May 2016.
Recess Dates: 2015–2016 Session
(The Leader of the House of Commons announced the recess dates up to February 2016 in the Business Statement given on Thursday 28 May 2015, following the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 27 May 2015).
This is following the Conservative Majority at the General Election 2015. Speaker of the House Of Commons for 2015–2020: John Bercow MP.
Recess Dates: 2014–2015 Session
(Recess dates up to January 2015 were announced by the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons in the Business Statement, which was given on 24 October 2013).
Following the dissolution of Parliament, it should be noted that there are no MPs until after the General Election on May 7, 2015. Parliament is NOT sitting but this does not affect the Government or Ministerial Departments – each Minister is still head of his/her respective department, until Her Majesty the Queen appoints a new Government following the General election, although if the Conservative Party wins, then it is likely that many of the Conservative ministers in the present government will retain their post.