Annex 1
I support all of the following:
1. As mentioned in your report.
— Speakers to be more forceful in resisting
calling votes when the result is clear.
— I support moves to speed up voting,
like electronic voting. I do not accept the need to always go
to the lobbies—indeed if Ministers' time were freed up from
going to the lobbies they could allocate time for constituency
MPs to see them in their offices. They would then be in a position
to be better briefed and more easily pass messages on for action,
which would please many constituency MPs. Of course this would
help opposition MPs and this does seem to be a fairer way of proceeding.
— Routine carry over of bills which
are not finished.
— More pre-legislative scrutiny by
committees (preferably not be the select committees).
— The publishing of Speakers Lists
in a similar way to the House of Lords.
— Changed hours for the House of Commons.
— A fixed Parliamentary calendar, not
sitting in July (to help Scottish MPs spend more time with their
children) but sitting in September instead.
— Moving Private Members business from
Fridays to other days. (I think this is included in your report).
2. Other things not in your report but which
I hope you will consider.
— Setting up a standard procedure that
civil servants can meet with all members of any Standing Committee
to clarify any proposed legislation.
— I would support those members who
are saying it is unfair that Speakers are called from the Government
and then the opposition. It would be fairer if there in turn could
be some adjustment to this so that each member had a more equal
chance to be called.
— I do not support always having the
Chair of the Select Committee being the first person to be called
on any particular topic.
— In terms of Private Members Bills,
instead of Private Members Bills being picked out of a hat and
chosen by individual members I would support a decision that say
five Private Members Bills could be pursued in any year and then
members themselves should be able to vote on what Bills should
be put forward in the House.
— I also believe people should be allowed
to work in the Chamber—most of us are used to doing more
than one thing at a time so it is perfectly possible to concentrate
on the debate and do some work.
— It is crazy that people are allowed
to do unhealthy things like smoke in the tea room and in the lobbies
and yet are not allowed to do healthy things like look after their
children and bring their children into these places.
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