HC Deb 19 October 1966 vol 734 cc213-4
39. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on his plans for urgent measures of Parliamentary reform.

Mr. Crossman

My hon. Friend should await the debate on procedure, which I hope to arrange shortly.

Mr. Hamilton

Is my right hon. Friend aware that indications from public opinion polls are that the public is very concerned that we should reform and modernise our procedures, as indicated in the Sunday Times last week? Can he say whether there will be an early debate on the whole matter, since there are a great many reports from Select Committees, including the Select Committee on Procedure, and on televising the House, and the rest, which need to be decided by this House?

Mr. Crossman

If we are all keenly interested in the problem, it makes it all the more necessary that the measures we take are carefully prepared. I think that the reasonable order would be, first, to consider the Report of the experimental televising of the proceedings of the House and to deal with the Report of the Select Committee on Procedure afterwards. I propose to do it in that order.

Mr. Strauss

Are we right in assuming that these matters will be left to a free vote in the House?

Mr. Crossman

Yes, Sir.