The Week Ahead

Last week at Westminster was overshadowed by allegations about some Peers. No doubt this coming week will continue to see the matter at the top of the agenda, indeed on Monday in the Commons there is a debate on "Standards of conduct in Parliament and constitutional reform".

Foreign affairs is always a topic of interest in the House of Lords, but questions and debates seem to be even more focused on the matter this week.

The stimulus Bill will be considered in the Senate - David Herszenhorn writes in today's New York Times -

"Senate Republicans and even some Democrats are pressing for big changes to the $819 billion economic stimulus package the House passed this week, setting the stage for a bruising debate over tax cuts and spending that will test the Obama White House." The full article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/31/us/politics/31stimulus.html?_r=1

Further details of business can be found at

House of Representatives:
http://democraticleader.house.gov/docUploads/5WeeklyLeader20209.pdf?CFID=13924048&CFTOKEN=38577085
Westminster: http://services.parliament.uk/calendar/2009/02/02/week.html

The Lords Lighten Up

It's been a trying week in the House of Lords, with the allegations of misbehaviour against some members - but on Thursday a number of Peers tried to bring some humour into the proceedings. The topic which led to a surplus of puns and various other - sometimes groan inducing - remarks, was lightbulbs - a subject that has many - led by the Daily Mail - frothing at the mouth.

Lord Harrison began by asking Her Majesty’s Government "what is their position on the phasing out of 100- and 75-watt traditional light bulbs." Serious enough, but when he came to his supplementary he said - "My Lords, is my noble friend as incandescent as I am about the reduced brightness of these new lamps...

Exchanges included -

Lord Harrison: ... Indeed, just how many politicians did it take to change a light-bulb policy?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, it takes one Member of your Lordships’ House to change a light bulb and 712 to debate the matter for endless hours.

Lord Davies of Oldham: My Lords, for a little light in a dark corner, it is the Lib Dems’ turn.
Lord Redesdale: ... Does the Minister agree that this should be shown as a shining example of the value of energy-saving light bulbs?
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: My Lords, I have not had any complaints yet, but I intend to make myself scarce over the next few days.

Superbowl

Earlier this week I posted an entry about an aspect of American culture - which has had a big impact in the UK - Jazz. Britain and the US have shared many great things in the past - and I very much appreciate this cultural interchange. My other great love of things originating in the USA (apart from the US Constitution and Congress) is American Football.

This Sunday is Superbowl XLIII (wouldn't it have great if it could have been '44' as that number is being celebrated so much this month). The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Arizona Cardinals in Tampa Bay. Details of the match are available at

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/43

http://www.tampabaysuperbowl.com/index.htm

If you are in the UK you can watch the game live from 11pm Sunday to 3am Monday on BBC1 - and highlights will be shown on BBC2 from 7pm to 8pm on Monday.

and if you can make it to Bar 87 in the Isle of Capri Casino, Ricoh Arena, Coventry - the Coventry Jets are hosting a superbowl party. http://www.cassidyjets.com/newsresults.php?newsid=456&gameid

Civil Service Bill

Lord Sheldon asked yesterday - "when [will the Government] introduce a Civil Service Bill and grant its consideration Parliamentary time." Such a bill has been promised for some time - but is still awaited. As with yesterday's post - the answer was that the Constitutional Renewal Bill will be introduced as soon as time allowed.

Comments were made about ensuring that the Civil Service have their impartiality safeguarded. It is a fundamental principle of the British system - but as yet, unprotected by statute.

The full exchange can be read at http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90127-0001.htm#09012747000354

Government Announcements

MPs and Peers often complain that announcements are made to the press before they have been made in Parliament. This week the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications produced a report covering many aspects of Government Communications. Early in the report they deal with announcements.

Liam Byrne MP had told the committee that all substantial announcements should be made to Parliament first with no pre-briefs. The report says "We agree with this aim but doubt whether it is always fulfilled."

The Report points out that "The Ministerial Code states: “When Parliament is in session, the most important announcements of Government policy should be made in the first instance, in Parliament.” This is an important principle. Members of Parliament are the democratically elected representatives of the people and they have been elected to Parliament in order to scrutinise the Executive on behalf of their constituents.

In Parliament, substantial announcements should be made orally by the relevant Minister. (Statements made in the House of Commons may be repeated in the House of Lords.) Other announcements may be made by written statement to both Houses or in the course of debate or passage of a Bill.

When an announcement is made to Parliament, the information is put in the public domain in an open and transparent manner. All journalists and members of the public have access to that information at the same time and the opportunity of opposition parties and backbenchers to question the Government means that policy is scrutinised from different perspectives as soon as it is announced. The release of information through a statement to Parliament is fully in line with the Phillis principle of “openness, not secrecy”.

The guidance given by the Speaker is also repeated -

“I must make it clear that if Ministers were to release information to the press before the House was informed of major policy developments I would regard that as an unacceptable discourtesy to the House. If that occurred, I would expect the Minister concerned to apologise to the House … I expect Ministers to take measures to ensure that other authorities, who are privy to confidential information, protect it until the House has been informed.”

Yesterday Lord Mandelson made a statement on the car industry. He made it clear that he felt it was important that Parliament was told prior to the car summit on Wednesday.