Prime Minister's question asked in the House of Commons, by Stuart Bell (Labour). It was answered on Wednesday, 3 February 2010 on behalf of the Prime Minister.

Engagements

Question: In the context of the Prime Minister's response to the parliamentary institution, is he aware that tomorrow Sir Thomas Legg will publish his full review of MPs' allowances? Building on the creation of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and the Kelly recommendations—all of them the initiatives of the Prime Minister—can we put the sad and sorry saga of MPs' expenses behind us, and rebuild this institution called the House of Commons?

Answer: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We must reform the system of expenses, and we must follow through with the Kelly and, now, the Kennedy reforms under IPSA. But I have to tell the House that we must do more than that. If I have a message for the whole country it is that it is not enough simply to change the expenses system; we must change the way in which we govern ourselves in this House of Commons and in the House of Lords. I come back to the essential questions. If the Conservatives are not prepared to face up to major change in the constitution, the public will see that the Conservative party has not changed one bit.

Secondary information