HC Deb 23 February 1981 vol 999 cc648-50
30. Mr. William Hamilton

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has for increasing the time available on the Floor of the House for debating reports from Select Committees.

Mr. Pym

I shall endeavour to find time for such debates as the need arises and in accordance with the wishes of the House.

Mr. Hamilton

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that is an extremely vague and meaningless reply? Does he not recognise that, as these Select Committees are working extremely hard and producing extremely important reports—especially the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee—he should give a firm undertaking that in this Session he will bring forward proposals to specify a number of days per Session for debates on these important reports?

Mr. Pym

I agree that these reports are important. However, it is fair to say that, up till now at any rate, the Liaison Committee has not felt it necessary to make representations in the sense just made by the hon. Gentleman. I want to watch the development of these Select Committees. I doubt whether a specific number of days will be the appropriate way of dealing with the problem. But I am sure that, as the need arises, we can consider in due course how best to handle it.

Mr. Crouch

Is my right hon. Friend aware that if he allows more time for debates in this House on the reports of these Select Committees, it is possible that right hon. and hon. Members who serve on Select Committees will dominate those debates? Will my right hon. Friend take into account the fact that some of us are concerned that the appointment of the Select Committees has already detracted from the value of the Chamber itself? I hope that he will not continue this process.

Mr. Pym

It is also true that the Select Committees have provided a good deal of additional information, both for this House and for people outside. They are still at a very early stage of their development. I do not think that there is any need for events in a Select Committee to affect how a specific matter is handled on the Floor of the House. There has never been any question of anything like every report from every Select Committee being debated on the Floor, obviously not, but from time to time there will be occasions when the House feels that a specific report should be debated. As the need arises, I shall endeavour to find time.

Mr. John Silkin

Will the Leader of the House bear in mind that for the past 150 years there has been a succession of excuses for the Chamber being empty, that this is only the latest of the various excuses, and that the Opposition hope that he will continue with the experiments, and indeed increase them?

Mr. Pym

I note what the right hon. Gentleman says. It must, and I am sure always will be, the case that this Chamber is the centre of our deliberations.

Mr. Fell

If my right hon. Friend is successful in finding plenty of time, will he consider taking a few Committee stages of Bills on the Floor of the House?

Mr. Pym

I am not sure how popular that would be. My hon. Friend knows the constraints upon any Leader of the House. Where it is appropriate, naturally we shall have to find the time. I note what my hon. Friend says.

Mr. Skinner

Will the Leader of the House also bear in mind the fact that there is a strong body of opinion on both sides of the House, and certainly on the Opposition Benches, to the effect that any available hours should be used to debate matters of urgency, such as the many that have arisen over the past few months under this Conservative Government? That would give us an opportunity to raise such matters without having to make application all the time to you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Leader of the House bear in mind that some of us—perhaps more than that now that the Committees are sitting—believe that they are simply sloppy all-party consensus Committees and that we cannot afford to spend any more time on them down here?

Mr. Pym

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there are no new proposals before the House to change its procedures in that way at the moment. I know that the hon. Gentleman is one of those who seek to take advantage of such opportunities as there are for raising mattors, but I have no new proposals to make at present.