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Dome
32. Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle): What steps are being taken to ensure that cooking smells in the millennium dome are neutralised. [91370]
The Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting (Janet Anderson): The majority of kitchens in the dome have an air extraction plant which takes the air out of the dome. A few have filtered air-cleaning systems. Both will ensure that cooking smells are kept to a minimum.
Mr. Prentice: That was a good answer to something that has been perplexing me. There are to be 37 eating outlets in the dome, as I learned when I joined the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) in a visit there a few days ago. One of the 37 is McDonald's, which will be opening its 1,000th outlet in the UK. It occurred to me that we should use the dome to celebrate the great regional dishes and culinary diversity of this country. Can my hon. Friend reassure me that the 37 outlets will include restaurants where we can sample some of the great United Kingdom dishes of which we are so fond?
Janet Anderson: I understand that the 37 outlets cover a diversity of eating opportunities. I am sure that my hon. Friend will not be disappointed.
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL
The President of the Council was asked--
Millennium Compliance
41. Mr. James Plaskitt (Warwick and Leamington): What progress is being made on the state of readiness of the national infrastructure in preparation for the millennium date change. [91379]
The President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mrs. Margaret Beckett): The latest results of the independent assessments of key sectors and processes of the infrastructure were announced at the national infrastructure forum on 13 July. They show that key elements including water, telecommunications, postal services, benefit payments, cash distribution and railway safety systems have achieved blue status, indicating that the assessments have not identified any risk of material disruption over the date change period, which is of course welcome news.
There has been good progress since the previous report in April, but there is still much to complete in some programmes. Local authorities and financial institutions have a small number of reds, indicating that they are significantly behind in their preparations and will require
a concerted effort over the next few months to avoid possible material disruption to their services over the date change and beyond.
Mr. Plaskitt:
Six local authorities have been given a red classification, one of which is Warwick district council. The assessment appears to have been based on a questionnaire organised by KPMG. Warwick district council is fully ready in terms of outcomes and is of the view that there is a very low risk of material disruption, but it was given a red because of KPMG's emphasis on processes, which has given a misleading impression. Before there is a further check on progress, will my right hon. Friend review the assessment criteria so that they focus more on outcomes and less on processes?
Mrs. Beckett:
My hon. Friend has made an interesting contribution and made it plain how complex these matters can be. It is not for me to say whether Warwick council deserves a clean bill of health, but the Government offices are working closely with all the named authorities and will be anxious to pursue with the council the issues that he raised.
Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire):
Does the President of the Council accept that there is still considerable uncertainty, and some anxiety, about the date change and all that it implies? She has not given us a monthly report for July, as she said she would. Will we get that tomorrow in the House? Does she accept that the booklet that has been distributed is strong on reassurance but weak on warning? If she makes a statement tomorrow, will she tell members of the general public which areas they should keep an especial watch on? When will she name names?
Mrs. Beckett:
I am not quite sure what the hon. Gentleman means by that last remark, because we are publishing all the information that we can. Of course he is right to say that some uncertainty remains, and that is likely to continue all the way through, because those who give certain responses do not know what they are talking about. I anticipate publishing the July results in the very near future: over the next day or so.
The hon. Gentleman said that the booklet was weak on warning. We sought to ensure that people know where to go for information, and to keep that information as up-to-date as possible. We will continue to do that. Action 2000 has been publishing the latest results in a series of newspaper advertisements that began a few days ago.
Sir Patrick Cormack:
Can I take it from that reply that there will be no statement to the House until October at the earliest? Surely we should have one tomorrow.
Mrs. Beckett:
No. The hon. Gentleman will recall that the practice has been a quarterly statement to the House. That will continue.
Sir Patrick Cormack:
The right hon. Lady said monthly.
Mrs. Beckett:
I said that we would publish the information monthly. We will publish the July information in a written answer. That will be followed through in August and September. We are seeking means
Thursday Sittings
42. Dr. Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes, South-West): What assessment she has made of the impact of the experiment in relation to sittings on Thursdays. [91380]
45. Dr. Ian Gibson (Norwich, North):
What assessment she has made of the experiment in relation to Thursday sitting hours. [91383]
The Parliamentary Secretary, Privy Council Office (Mr. Paddy Tipping):
The Modernisation Committee published a report last Monday that concluded that the majority of hon. Members consider that the experiment has been a success and should be continued in the next Session.
Dr. Starkey:
Does my hon. Friend agree that, far from reducing the hours that the House sits--a misleading statement often made by the Opposition--the changes mean that a full day's business can be taken on Thursdays? On average, the House has sat for an hour longer a day since the experiment began. Is not that further proof that this Government are more open to scrutiny than the previous Administration?
Mr. Tipping:
My hon. Friend is right to say that the report from the Modernisation Committee makes it clear that the same important topics are being discussed and that substantive motions have been voted on. Most important, it shows that, on Thursdays, there has been, on average, an extra hour's business. That gives the House more time to discuss important matters.
Dr. Gibson:
Has my hon. Friend any evidence that the questions asked on a Thursday are classier, sharper and more political than questions asked at other times? Has he any evidence that the work done on a Friday by hon. Members who can get home to start the weekend's constituency work earlier has had benefits for our constituents?
Mr. Tipping:
Hon. Members have to balance the needs of the House with those of their constituents. Finishing at 7 pm on a Thursday allows hon. Members to spend a full day extra in their constituencies. I have watched how my hon. Friend performs on a Thursday, when he is sharp and to the point. The Modernisation Committee report also found evidence that takings at the bar on a Thursday night have fallen. Perhaps my hon. Friend, given his sharpness and clarity on a Thursday, does not indulge on a Wednesday night.
Mr. Nick St. Aubyn (Guildford):
Is the Minister aware that the picture is very different if the time devoted in our proceedings to procedure motions and timetable motions is subtracted from the total hours that the House sits, and that in fact less time is given to real Government scrutiny? Will he explain the benefit of taking up the House's time with measures such as the Railways Bill, which we considered last week and which cannot proceed in the time available?
Mr. Tipping:
If the hon. Gentleman looks at the facts, he will see that fewer procedural motions have been tabled under this Government than under the previous Administration. He should reflect on the comments of the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler), who last week rightly described the hooligan elements in the House whose actions have led to a greater focus on procedural motions. People outside the Chamber want a House of Commons that debates the core issues, not silly game-playing.
Mr. Andrew Stunell (Hazel Grove):
The Liberal Democrats welcome the extension of the Thursday sittings experiment. It is rare for a measure to be popular with hon. Members and to the best advantage of the country.
Does the Minister agree that further changes are needed to ensure that the House is even more effective at holding the Government to account, at passing sensible legislation and at providing proper representation? Will he undertake that the pace and development of the Modernisation Committee's work will be maintained?
Mr. Tipping:
A number of measures have made major changes to the House's work. In particular, I believe that the focus on pre-legislative scrutiny will have a profound and long-lasting effect. I am delighted that the Westminster Hall experiment will begin when we return for the next Session. That will allow an opportunity for further modernisation, and give Back-Bench Members a chance to raise matters of constituency importance. There has been change, and there will continue to be change.
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