Submission from Mrs Angela Browning MP
Thank you for inviting me to comment on the
Modernisation Committee's review of the sittings of the House.
I wish to make the following points.
1. I originally opposed the changes to the
sitting hours of the House but now that this new timetable has
bedded in I think it would cause unnecessary disturbance to change
it yet again.
2. Although I did not oppose the introduction
of the two week sitting in September I do believe that sandwiched
between the end of the school holidays and the party conference
season the costs are disproportionate in terms of the House being
ready to revert to normal business just for two weeks. However,
I am aware that the long summer recess has often resulted in the
recall of Parliament at very short notice. It is, of course, a
matter of whether the Government believes it can complete its
legislative programme without these two additional weeks. If it
was decided not to continue with the two sitting weeks in September
(not all of us particularly want to take our holidays during the
school holidays) then I would certainly advocate changing the
rules about parliamentary Questions as I do not believe there
is any reason why Members cannot table written Questions in the
normal way. This would enable us to continue with some of the
work that obviously comes in through the Recess and, of course,
the ministerial offices are geared to working through the Summer
Recess together with the appropriate officials, and I would like
to put this forward as a suggestion for consideration by your
committee.
July 2004
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