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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