§ Sir Geoffrey HoweTo ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement about the meeting of the House of Commons Commission held on Monday 18 November.
§ Mr. BeithAt its meeting on Monday 18 November the House of Commons Commission considered the recom-mendation in the Ibbs report that it should make its decisions more widely known. The Commission agreed that it would in future arrange for decisions which needed to be communicated to the House to be announced by means of a written answer shortly after the relevant meeting. In response to the same recommendation, the Commission instructed the Board of Management to draw up draft proposals for the form and content of annual reports from each Department of the House which will in future be appended to the annual report of the Commission.
119WAt the same meeting, the Commission authorised Mr. Speaker to sign on its behalf a memorandum of understanding with the authorities of the House of Lords concerning the appointment of the Director of Works, the funding of his office, and the allocation of costs to the votes of the two Hosues for the different types of work to be included in the parliamentary works programme.