Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill

That is why the constraint on the Select Committee to make that recommendation has to be removed. If the Select Committee makes a recommendation exercising a discretion and a political judgment that the process is unsuitable, I accept that it would be a bold Government indeed who went ahead with the change, although the point made was valid: we are not talking about the Government having to expose themselves to a full debate on the Floor of the House or some particular process to get their resolution through. We have now reached a stage at which half the time votes on orders and procedures have been reduced to a ritual part of the process of the House. If we are talking about the reality, the change would probably be decided by a deferred Decision on Wednesday, as I think the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome said. If we are being indiscreetly candid, probably a very high proportion of the Members of Parliament ticking the piece of paper would not bother to inquire closely exactly what subject they were voting on. It is too trivial a procedure to override such a change. I do not accept that the small body of Members who have the privilege of being on the Select Committee should be our only protection. A substantial body of the membership is enough.