Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP, Leader of the House of Commons
Parliamentary reform: the Coalition Government's agenda after Wright
June 16, 6.30pm, Westminster.
Read the transcript of the keynote address
Listen to the keynote address
Listen to Sir George's response to audience questions
The lecture will be broadcast on Saturday 19 June at 7.50pm on BBC Parliament and after that will be on BBC iPlayer.
Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP made his first keynote address since becoming Leader of the House and Lord of the Privy Seal to the Hansard Society in Westminster on June 16. He said that on Parliamentary reform he agreed in many ways with the Speaker of the House of Commons. He shared some personal observations about how the new Government is operating compared to a single party administration that he has been involved in. He said one of the most important factors will be the strength of the relationship between the two leaders of the party’s involved, saying that the access between the party’s was probably stronger that that between Blair and Brown, of the same party. He went on to comment on the hierarchy of Ministers and the relationships between them, in order to preserve the coalition, saying that decision making dynamic has changed, possibly to make decisions more durable as they require stronger consensus across parties. Sir George said it was producing a grown-up approach to politics that was also a reflection of the governments approach to Parliament.
Sir George paraphrased Robin Cook, saying “a strong Parliament leads to better government, and if both raise their game the citizen will be the winner.” He said that is why the new coalition government has made swift progress on implementing proposals from the Wright Committee, giving the examples of the election of Select Committee Chairs and the establishment of a Backbench Business Committee. He said that the new Parliament feels more courteous and calmer.
Sir George discussed the Backbench Business Committee, saying it should use its powers intelligently and that parliament should respond positively and constructively when handed more power by government. He also addressed the issue of the House Business Committee to be set-up by the third year is this Parliament, saying that an aim would be to drive up attendance at debates. He said representation and scrutiny should be the benchmarks of how Parliament operates, without obstructing the Government on the manifesto it has been elected on.
Sir George went on to update the meeting on progress that has been made, for example: return to the House ownership of its reform agenda by scrapping the Modernisation Select Committee; dispose of Regional Select Committees; thirdly the government is making good the commitment for creating adequate time for scrutiny of legislation. He said he will be taking forward the idea of allowing the opposition to trade some of the time they are allotted for opposition debates for statements on topical subjects.