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Legislative Process

That was the general rule. The report also makes a number of observations about other stages in the legislative process. I agree with its call for a"““flexible approach to the time available to each Bill, making more time available where it is needed, less where it is not””." For example, a Bill might not need a full day’s Second Reading debate, but occasionally one might need more than one day. The Government will work through the usual channels to see whether that result could be achieved. However, we do not agree with the report’s recommendation that programme motions moved on Second Reading should not contain the Bill’s so-called ““out date”” from Committee. We think that the House has enough information to make its decision at the time of Second Reading, and in any case there are appropriate mechanisms if the decision needs to be reviewed at a later date. Last Wednesday, the Law Commission reported on post-legislative scrutiny, and we will be considering our response in the coming months. I am very grateful to the commission, and envisage that the report would be an appropriate topic for the Modernisation Committee. The next motion before us refers to the proposed communications allowance, which is designed to assist with the important task of improving the engagement of the House with the public.