ABSTRACT
In 2001, the Leader of the House of Commons proposed several reforms to the workings of the House. Among proposals being considered is that appointments to Select Committees should no longer be controlled by the party whips but determined by a panel of senior MPs. Also on the agenda are plans for shorter debates, morning sittings, moving Prime Minister’s Questions from 3 pm on Wednesdays to midday, an end to the long summer recess and the introduction of electronic voting. On Question Time it is proposed that the two week period of notice of questions should be reduced. Also proposed is that Select Committees should consider more Bills and that they should also have powers to monitor the operation of legislation. On the legislative process, it has been proposed that Bills should be allowed to carry over from one parliament to the next, with a maximum period of 12 months, during which they must pass through both Houses. With more morning sittings designed to minimise the need for late night sittings, the total number of hours worked would be longer than at present. The plans were submitted to the Commons’ Modernisation Committee.
