§ Mr. DafisTo ask the Lord President of the Council (1) if he will make it his policy to designate a minimum of eight days per Session to discuss Commons Select Committee reports;
(2) what plans he has to grant further powers to Select Committees to call for papers and witnesses and receive information from civil servants;
(3) what plans he has to enlarge Select Committees of the House and to grant them the power to establish sub-committees;
(4) if he will make it his policy to establish a national office of policy analysis to back up the work of Select Committees of the House.
§ Mr. NewtonI have no plans to amend the powers of Select Committees, to designate a minimum number of days for debate of their reports, or to establish a national office of policy analysis to back up their work. I refer the hon. Member to the conclusions of the Procedure Committee on these matters see the second report of the House of Commons Select Committee on Procedure, Session 1989–90 and the Government's response, Cm. 1532, and in particular recommendation x (Subcommittees) xi (orders of reference) xii (specialist advisers) xxvii (powers of Select Committees) and xxxvi (debates on Committees' reports)).