HC Deb 25 January 2000 vol 343 c161W
53. Mrs. Gilroy

To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on progress in modernising the House since May 1997. [104983]

Mrs. Beckett

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Mr. Clark), Official Report columns 143–44.

Mr. Blizzard

To ask the President of the Council what progress there has been in the modernising of the House since May 1997. [104977]

Mrs. Beckett

Since the Modernisation Committee began its work, the House has had greater opportunities for scrutiny of the Government through the provision of extra time for debate in Westminster Hall; Thursday sittings have been introduced on an experimental basis to help Members balance constituency and Parliamentary duties; legislation has increasingly been published in draft and given Select Committee scrutiny; and better explanatory material has been provided with Bills.