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Chair (Terminology)

The manner in which it is drafted leads one to suspect that it would result in less time. However, the House will shortly take a view on whether that is the case. We are not prepared to accept anything less than the current position. Several other important issues will have to be pursued in the future, and I shall mention three briefly: the improved scheduling of business to ensure more effective scrutiny of legislation on Report—the current situation is a scandal—and in Lords amendments debates; the right of the Liaison Committee to select a given quota of Select Committee reports each year for debate and a vote—I stress vote—on the Floor of the House; and greater access for the electorate to the proceedings of this place through the establishment of a public petitions committee to ensure that petitions are sent to the appropriate Select Committee for consideration, or to the relevant Minister for action or to the proposed business committee for consideration on the Floor of the House. However, those issues are for the future. The two crucial proposals from the reform Committee that we are debating today—on elected Select Committees and on a Back-Bench and House business committee—together with the two key amendments, are essential. I cannot stress too strongly that we should all use this opportunity to pass them with acclamation.