§ 47. Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on the effect of the use by the Government of programming for the debating of legislation in the House. [155220]
§ Mrs. BeckettAs the Modernisation Committee said yesterday, programming has great potential to improve
165Wthe legislative 'term of trade' to the benefit of everyone:the Government will get greater certainty for its legislative timetable;the Opposition parties and backbenchers will get greater opportunities to debate and vote on the issues of most concern to them; andthe House will scrutinise legislation better and may well be able to improve itThe extent to which those benefits are achieved depends on the willingness of all parties to make programming work.