APPENDIX 46
Letter from Mr Douglas Alexander MP to
the Chairman of the Committee
I am writing to express my support for the proposals
that would involve the Commons to continue to have time to scrutinise
effectively the work of the Government, while altering the working
hours of the House of Commons.
As you are aware, I have recently become a father
and am keen to share in the parenting responsibilities of fatherhood.
I would therefore, strongly support any proposals to move the
working hours of the Commons during the week to conform with the
present pattern on Thursdays, where final votes take place at
7pm. I have always regarded September as a working month and therefore,
the prospect of the House sitting in September, to ensure proper
scrutiny of the Executive, seems to me a sensible and practical
way forward.
I appreciate that you will be receiving a number
of probably conflicting views on this matter, but I would urge
you to think radically, given the opportunity that we now have
to achieve a degree of modernisation, which would not only assist
the MPs, but I believe, would send a powerful and important message
to constituents about the capacity of Westminster to modernise
itself effectively.
25 April 2002
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