HC Deb 20 December 1989 vol 164 c224W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will examine the possibility of providing a simple daily batting order of the business of the House for visitors and Members.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

Visitors are provided with a basic guide to the order of business in the booklet "A Guide for Visitors to the Galleries". It would not be practical to provide a more specific guide. Business not listed in the Order Paper such as a statement or private notice question is not announced until after 1 pm. Some business such as Standing Order No. 20 applications does not become public until the moment it is raised in the House.

I am not aware that Members stand in any need of a simple daily batting order of business.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will examine the design of the front page of the Order Paper.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The design of the front page of the Order Paper is a matter for the House itself. If the hon. Member has specific suggestions for improvements to the format of the Order Paper, I suggest that he writes to the Services Committee.

However, since and in so far as this is one of a number of proposals which the hon. Gentleman intends to make in respect of the content of the Order Paper itself he should, as I have already indicated, raise the matter in the first instance with the Procedure Committee of which he is a member.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Lord President of the Council what areas of the form of the Order Paper he is examining; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

I have commenced a general examination of the form of the Order Paper, but I am also awaiting suggestions from many other hon. Members, not least those which may come from the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee whose responsibility this is. It is not an entirely straightforward matter, since I understand that significant changes would involve considerable alterations in the nightly printing procedures, but I am concerned that all serious possibilities should be considered. The Sub-Committee's further consideration of this matter is itself dependent upon elements that relate to wider procedural issues, in particular various aspects of oral questions, which have been considered by the Procedure Committee. The hon. Member is now a member of the Procedure Committee and I have no doubt that he will not hesitate to make a contribution to their consideration of these issues.