Last week saw the biggest change in the way that Parliament works for 700 years with the introduction of remote working for MPs. This change means that MPs can contribute to Parliamentary debates and questions, while also following the rules that apply to all of us during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Getting Parliament back to hold the Government to account and to get answers to the many questions that you have put to me over the last few weeks was essential. Given the scale of the crisis that the country faces, it is essential that Parliament is sitting. But the old way of working simply isn’t an option when we all have to follow the rules that are there to save lives. So Parliament has had to find new ways that MPs can do the job they were elected to do, represent their voters in Westminster.
As Chair of the Commons Procedure Committee, I have been involved in many of the discussions about how this might happen. Social distancing rules means that no more than 50 MPs can sit in the House of Commons and others would find it difficult to get to Westminster as they are shielding or self-isolating, or their constituencies are a long way from London. It is important that all MPs are treated equally, so we are now operating a “hybrid” Parliament, where MPs can speak over video links from home, as well as a small number who are there physically.
We all know that the current arrangements are not ideal and don’t allow for the level of debate that people have become used to. But they are better than nothing and will evolve as glitches are ironed out. And I am pleased that Parliament is back so that I can continue to speak up for you in Westminster.