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Report from the House of Commons Reform Committee on Rebuilding the House

I beg to move,"That this House has considered the matter of the report from the House of Commons Reform Committee on rebuilding the House." This is going to be an important day in the history of reform of this House. If, as I hope, we take forward the reforms which we are debating today, this will be the most far-reaching package of reforms that has ever been agreed. We will debate the reforms today, and then we will return to these issues next week, on 4 March, to vote. The House needs reform to give more power to Back Benchers and to give the House more power over the Government. And the House needs reform to help restore the its reputation, which has been battered by the expenses revelations. This is House business; it is not Government business. When we come to vote on Thursday next week, it will be a free vote for Labour Members, not a whipped vote.