Prime Minister’s Questions could return this month as plans get underway for a virtual Parliament.
MPs and Peers will be able to hold Commons and Lords debates through video conferencing – and work is underway to develop a way for online voting.
A skeleton crew of MPs – including Speaker Lindsay Hoyle – would attend the Commons in person, wherever possible.
But for the most part, debates would be conducted online.
Oral questions (including PMQs ), urgent questions and ministerial statements are planned to take place during the first two hours of each sitting day, by video link.
Planning for certain parts of House business to be taken virtually when it returns on 21 April “is progressing well”, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said.
The proceedings will be broadcast/ webcast as live – and once the delivery of them is judged satisfactory and sustainable, the House will consider extending the model to debates on motions and legislation, the Speaker said.
It will also be up to the House to decide on any change to “a system of remote voting in divisions of the House,” he added.
Sir Lindsay outlined the behind-the-scenes preparations that have been taking place to return the House of Commons to work on 21 April in a letter to MPs.
He conceded that while “the scale of the challenge means there are bound to be bumps along the way”, the use of technology will allow Members to hold the Government to account, but in line with important public health guidance.
Explaining the measures, he said: “Planning for certain parts of House business to be taken virtually is progressing well.
“The main aspect of the proposal will allow oral questions – including PMQs – urgent questions and statements to take place at the beginning of each sitting day by video link.”
A virtual meeting of the Procedure Committee will consider this model on Wednesday, 15 April.
If the House of Commons Commission gives its approval on Thursday, 16 April, it would be for the Leader of the House, following consultation with the parties, to put forward motions setting out any temporary arrangements for the House to consider on 21 April.
The House of Commons should return in an almost entirely “virtual” form, with extensive opportunities for MPs to question ministers about the coronavirus response, constitutional experts have said.
They suggested that lower priority parliamentary business should be sidelined to increase the ability of MPs to hold Boris Johnson and his Government to account.
Professor Meg Russell, from University College London, and Dr Ruth Fox, from the Hansard Society think- tank, said any changes must be temporary and should not be used to shift power away from Parliament to the Government.
Commons business will resume on April 21 after an extended Easter break, despite calls for an early recall.
Prof Russell, director of the constitution unit at UCL, and Dr Fox suggested that “as far as possible” MPs should stay away from Westminster “in the interests of safety and to set a national example”.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has already suggested that MPs should be allowed to participate in proceedings virtually if the “physical presence of members, or too many members, in the palace is not appropriate”.
The suggestions from Prof Russell and Dr Fox include:
- The introduction of electronic voting;
- The ability to have three or four urgent questions, lasting up to 15 minutes each, every sitting day;
- Giving MPs the chance to ask follow-up questions at Prime Minister’s Questions;
- An increased frequency in appearances by the Prime Minister, or whoever is deputising for him as he recovers from coronavirus, before the Liaison Committee;
- The possible introduction of a Coronavirus Select Committee.
The pair acknowledged that a shift to a virtual Parliament may present difficulties for media coverage.
But they argued that “if live broadcast is temporarily compromised, that may be a necessary price to pay – and committees have already experimented with delayed broadcasts and video clips”.
Prof Russell said: “There is clearly a widespread desire to get Parliament up and running again, and members will be keen to co-operate and will hopefully be flexible, accepting that virtual working will require some compromises.
“But it’s really, really important that the Government does not just present members with a fait accompli – there needs to be proper consultation, and any changes should be strictly time-limited, with opportunities for feedback and regular review.”
Dr Fox said: “Adversarial party politics rightly takes a back seat in a time of national crisis, but Parliament’s collective responsibility to hold the executive to account is enduring.
“Extraordinary arrangements are needed if Parliament is to go fully ‘virtual’.
“But any new arrangements must ensure fair representation for all members and parties; and the crisis and Parliament’s response to it should not become a pretext to shift power even further towards the executive.”
The Government is expected to set out its approach for Parliament’s return later this week.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It’s hugely important that parliamentarians have the opportunity to properly scrutinise ministers.”
Asked whether there were concerns about the strain that responding to parliamentary questions would add to ministers and officials, the spokesman said: “Ministers fully understand the need for parliamentary scrutiny and they will of course cooperate with any inquiries that take place.
“I’m sure Parliament itself will be very aware of the challenges faced by the Government as we respond to what is an unprecedented health threat.”
