Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Stephenson Excerpts

Thursday 16th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Heath]

In the allocation of time, we are bound by the Standing Orders of the House. The hon. Gentleman might like to look at the Standing Orders and suggest to the Procedure Committee or others that they should change them, but at the moment we can do only as the Standing Order require.

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

5. What recent progress he has made on his proposals to make the proceedings of the House of Commons more topical.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Office of the Leader of the House of Commons (Mr David Heath)]

Since the general election, the Government have established the Backbench Business Committee, reintroduced September sittings, increased the amount of time available for topical questions and are making many more statements than the previous Government. I think that the increased level of coverage we have seen of questions, statements and debates in the media is testament to the increasingly topical nature of this place.

[Andrew Stephenson]

I thank the Deputy Leader of the House for his answer. A key step in making proceedings more topical would be to launch Select Committee reports on the Floor of the House. What progress is being made on that proposal? [Interruption.]

[Mr Heath]

The hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) says from a sedentary position that that is a good idea. It is indeed a good idea. My right hon. Friend the Leader of the House will shortly write to the Chairs of the Backbench Business Committee and the Liaison Committee to seek their views on proposals to allow for short statements and questions from Committees on the day of publication of some reports.