Rebuilding the House - House of Commons Reform Committee Contents


Memorandum submitted by John Hemming MP

  In terms of appointing the members and chairmen of select committees:

    If the House of Commons were to use the system of single transferable vote for the membership of committees then it would be possible to ensure that the balance of the house is replicated on the committees, but the Members of the House have the power to decide on membership rather than the whips. It is, however, sensible that the party allegiance of the chairman is identified on a D'Hondt basis on membership of the House and only candidates who are members of that party are allowed to stand for election by the whole house to the position of chairman (on the basis of secret ballot with preferential voting). This would allow a single vote casting exercise to allocate all the membership and chairmanship of committees.

  Additionally, however:

    (a) Nominations should be in public over a period of time to enable Members to identify where there are vacancies and challenges. (A sheet in the division lobby with a list of nominees should be updated by the lower table office at the end of each hour that nominations are made).

    (b) There should be a priority sequence for committees where Members can drop out of subsequent elections if elected to previous positions.

  As far as business of the house is concerned it should be determined in full by a business management committee including the identification of knives and subject matters to be allocated time at reports stage to ensure that key issues in bills are considered and voted on by the house as a whole. The details of this should be implemented by the Speaker on the advice of House Officers. The committee should have the duty to ensure that the government gets sufficient time to progress its bills and should be elected as other select committees.

September 2009





 
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