Tuesday 22 July 2008

NEWS RELEASE 

Government publishes response to report on e-Petitions

The Government today endorsed the development of an e-petitioning system to reinforce the historic role of the House of Commons in hearing the views of the public.

Responding to a report of the Commons Procedure Committee on the issue, it said that such a system, if adopted by the House, would be a significant step forward in helping to promote better engagement with the public.

The Government agreed with the Committee's basic approach, including the recommendation that e-petitions should be submitted via the Parliamentary website to a petitions office.

Leader of the House of Commons Harriet Harman QC MP set out the Government's view in a Written Ministerial statement. Since a large increase in petitions is envisaged as a result of the proposed system, she said there would have to be further consideration of whether it would be possible or proportionate for the Government to respond to all e-petitions.  The system would be subject to checks and filters to ensure a focussed process which recognised the potential impact on the House.

Welcoming the Committee's recommendations as an effective way of strengthening the long-standing role of the House as recipient of public petitions, Ms Harman said the ideas would be debated in the autumn after the summer recess.

The constituency MP would be approached automatically to act as the facilitator for a specific petition. As a result, the process would help to retain a clearer distinction between petitions to the House and other petitions or similar processes.

Ministers are agreed that the public should see some results from their petitions and therefore, learning from the Scottish Parliament model, the Government is also suggesting that select committees play a greater role in taking evidence from petitioners. The Government also recognises the case for developing the scope for debate in Westminster Hall on petitions

Ms Harman stated: "The Government hopes that the House will endorse this way forward, allowing it to take a significant step forward in helping to promote better engagement with the public."

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