Supplementary submission from Rt Hon Alan
Howarth CBE, MP
I'm writing to you to add my voice to those
of colleagues who have expressed regret that on two recent occasions
the Government did not avail itself of the flexibility it has
to extend a major debate beyond 7.00 pm.
I can understand that the business managers
may well have had very good reasons for concluding the debate
on the Higher Education bill sharp at 7.00 pm. I was fortunate
to be called in that debate so I have no personal axe to grind.
I was aware, however, that quite a few colleagues hoped to be
called and were unsuccessful.
When Robin Cook was canvassing his reforms to
the sitting arrangements he did confirm, I believe, that exceptionally
debates might be extended, and it is one of the advantages of
the new hours that they make a three hour extension entirely realistic.
Last week we had a further occasion, the debate on the Hutton
Report and the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report on
Iraq, when, as far as I can see, there was no good reason why
proceedings should not have been extended until 10.00 pm. The
debate was on the adjournment so no inconvenience could have been
caused to colleagues in being required to wait for a late vote.
In any case, a more important consideration is that colleagues
should have their opportunity to take part in an important debate.
No one argues that an extension of debate should be other than
exceptional, on an occasion when there is intense interest. It
just so happens there were two such occasions in consecutive weeks,
but I really don't think you have to worry about the thin end
of the wedge.
I was just one of a good number of Members who
attended the whole of the Hutton/ISC debate but was unsuccessful
in catching the Speaker's eye. I can understand, given that he
had called me in an oversubscribed debate in the previous week,
that he was not going to call me again in this one. He simply
didn't have the time available to call everyone. I am, however,
a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee; I have read
all the JIC assessments and the raw intelligence that was made
available to the ISC; I was mentioned personally by Lord Hutton
in his TV broadcast on his Report; and it was very frustrating
indeed not to be able to take part.
Please do not underestimate the frustration
on the part of backbench colleagues who do not find the scope
they want for their energies and knowledge. There are no easy
or comprehensive solutions to that problem, but when a means is
readily at hand to help on a particular occasion it is surely
worth using it.
I am copying this letter to the Chief Whip.
February 2004
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