e-Petitions planned for the House of Commons
The Leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP has announced plans to develop a Parliamentary e-Petitions system. The popularity of the 10 Downing Street e-Petitions site highlights a public appetite for political participation, despite the fact that disengagement is increasingly becoming the norm. The Hansard Society has long argued that public disconnection stems from government's failure to develop suitable processes for participation.
To ensure that any attempts to engage the public via e-Petitions are effective, the Hansard Society has submitted evidence to the Procedure Committee of the House of Commons. The Committee's recommendations to government reflect our advice, proposing that MPs are involved from the outset in guiding the e-Petitions through Parliament and that signatories are informed of the progress of e-Petitions. It also suggests that ministers are called on to respond in most instances - and that the proposals contained within them should be forwarded to Select Committees for further deliberation, or debated within Westminster Hall.
The Hansard Society welcomes the government's response to the Procedure Committee's recommendations, viewing it as part of a gathering momentum towards engendering public participation - in many cases using online methods to increase access. The government's latest discussion paper on governance asks for responses to the question of how petitions and other participative mechanisms can enhance democratic engagement. We will continue to monitor the development of an e-Petitions system, alongside other forms of engagment and will advise Parliament and government as appropriate.
For more information please contact Laura Miller, Senior Researcher l[dot]miller[at]hansard[dot]lse[dot]ac[dot]uk