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House of Commons Reform

This debate will focus on the excellent report produce d by my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright). Sadly, he cannot be here today because he is chairing a meeting of the Public Administration Committee; we would have benefited from his contribution. Credit for setting up the Select Committee on Reform of the House of Commons should go to the Prime Minister and the Leader of the House, and particularly so for appointing exactly the right person to chair it. My hon. Friend does a superb job in chairing the PAC, and he did so yet again when chairing the Committee on Reform of the House of Commons and reporting in such short order. It demonstrates what a clever and shrewd man he is. It is a measured report. It is well argued and well thought out. It is pragmatic. Without solving all the problems that confront us, it will undoubtedly take us firmly in the right direction. Reform of the House is badly needed.