Parliament-lite: What to expect when the House reconvenes tomorrow

The dissolution of the 49th Parliament in 2011 with then Clerk of the House Mary Harris (seated) and Herald of Arms Extraordinary Phillip O'Shea (right) signing the proclamation. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It will be Parliament-lite when it reconvenes tomorrow because the general election has been delayed a month.

The House will sit but with fewer MPs and physical distancing and while there will be Question Time and General Debate there won't be bills to pass.

And it could sit for just four days.

Parliament was set to dissolve today but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern decided to push that out alongside her move to shift the election from September 19 to October 17.

"Under the circumstances I consider it important that Parliament is able to consider the decisions of Government, and that these decisions are still subject to appropriate scrutiny," said Ardern.

In light of this, the Speaker, Trevor Mallard, said Parliament would likely sit for four more days - on Tuesday and Wednesday this week then on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

If it doesn't adjourn next Wednesday, it would be on Wednesday September 2 at the latest.

The Speaker, Trevor Mallard, says Parliament could sit for just four more days after its dissolution was delayed. Photo / Mark Mitchell

And order papers will be a lot lighter than usual with no bills to debate, he said.

Tomorrow's proposed schedule of business kicks off with ministerial statements from the Ministers of Finance and Health followed by speeches from National, New Zealand First, the Green Party and Act.

That will then be followed by Question Time.

And when the House sits on Wednesday it will start with Question Time followed by General Debate.

Mallard said theoretically Select Committees could resume but said that seemed "pretty unlikely".

The House will also go back to ensuring MPs could physically distance under alert level 2 with one person per bench.

And MPs won't have to return for the sitting block with Ardern indicating it will likely only be certain ministers and Wellington-based backbench MPs returning, said Mallard.

"It don't know if watered-down is the right word, but it will be the opportunity to question, the opportunity to comment on ministerial statements, the opportunity to have contributions in a general debate - but there won't be any ordinary business."

It is the first time since the World War II an election has been delayed.

What is the dissolution of Parliament?

Before an election can be held, Parliament has to officially end.

And Parliament can only be dissolved by the Queen - or the Governor-General who is her representative.

This happens by the Herald of Arms Extraordinary reading out the proclamation read on the steps of Parliament which is witnessed by the Clerk of the House and two other witnesses.

Only once Parliament has dissolved can the Governor General issue the Writ to the Electoral Commission to start a general election.

Once Parliament is dissolved the House can't sit or pass laws, but the Government keeps running the country until there is a new Parliament - so ministers are still in charge of their portfolios until a new minister is appointed.

If Parliament isn't formally dissolved, it expires at the end of the three-year term.

This 52nd Parliament is set to expire on October 13, which is why the latest election date possible was November 21 - otherwise there would need to be a law change to extend the term.

What happens if an election can't be held after Parliament is dissolved?

Once the Governor General issues the Writ to the Electoral Commission, it takes full responsibility for the election.

If needed, the Commission can delay the election initially by three days then in rolling adjournments up to a week at a time. They can do this in a single electorate, in a region or for the entire country.