Commons briefing: Business questions

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ePolitix.com reports on the continuing concerns from MPs surrounding plans to reform expenses from Thursday's business questions.

Harriet Harman has warned that interim action on MPs allowances is needed now because of the "high level of public concern". She announced a debate on house business next Thursday.

Shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan criticised the prime minister's handling of the new proposals to reform expenses.

He questioned Harman on whether she felt appreciated and if she still felt able to be Parliament's voice in the cabinet after being "completely bypassed" by the prime minister.

The way the prime minister announced the proposals also came under fire by Duncan, claiming the online video was a "deeply weird statement on YouTube".

The Commons leader responded that she hoped there would be broad agreement on some of the issues surrounding MPs allowances to ensure a renewal of confidence from the public.

Harman said it was right for Sir Christopher Kelly to carry out the independent review and to take time to reach his conclusions through "consideration, deliberation and consultation" but interim action was needed.

She said she did not want to see a situation where only those MPs that can afford to travel will be able to represent.

Stressing the importance of gaining public confidence, she said it was important to involve an independent element.

"Therefore it's important in the meantime, because of the high level of public concern, that we do have an interim change in the situation to take effect now," she told MPs.

"I think we can all agree there is no perfect remedy. All of the solutions have different upsides and different downsides.

"We are not going to come to a perfect solution," the Commons leader said.

Liberal Democrat spokesman David Heath (Lib Dem, Somerton and Frome) asked for confirmation on what will be debated on Thursday 30 April.

Heath criticised the written "on the back of a fag packet" scrawls the prime minister was pushing through as proposals.

"Then as an afterthought he convenes the leaders of the other parties to come and rubber-stamp that," Heath said.

He suggested the prime minster was essentially proposing a scheme reflecting a "daily, banker's style bonuses to Members of Parliament without transparency".

He said: "I hope that we will have a chance to debate alternatives to that proposal as I think it's so important we do get that right."

Harman rebutted the claims and said the system would be transparent as the days would be shown on which MPs had claimed for.

She added the proposals were not simply from the prime minister's scrawls and had been under consideration.

"This is not something which is new and taking everyone by surprise proposal," she said.

Sir Nicholas Winterton (Con, Macclesfield) called the proposals "absolute nonsense", questioning how a debate can be entered next Thursday when a "per diem" allowance would be no more transparent than the current system.

Harman said she hoped that all MPs "in good faith" would try to support a system that the public would be satisfied with.

During business questions, Duncan called for a Commons debate on road signs.

"The government intends to ram through proposals on reducing speed limits," he said.

He went on to criticise the "pointless metal poles" and bossy signs that ruin the landscapes of streets.

Harman responded: "Road signs, bossy signs – I think really the question about speed limits is a very important issue as it is about cutting down deaths for pedestrian safety."

She stated the proposals were at consultation stage and stressed "lower speed limits save lives".

She said: "If it comes to the questions of an ugly road sign or a child not being killed, I'd go for the ugly road sign myself."

Elliot Morley (Lab, Scunthorpe) further emphasised the importance of tackling death on the roads, focusing on the example of speed limits on local roads.

"Speed can kill – I do hope however that this is not a blanket approach but based on risk assessments," he said.

Harman agreed that local approaches did need to be made and consultation areas will be discussed individually.

Addressing the issue of pub closures, Hugh Robertson (Con, Faversham and Mid Kent) called for a debate on the future of the pub industry and its impact on small communities around the country.

"There are a number of issues coming together which are causing problems for publicans," he said.

Siobhain McDonagh (Lab, Mitcham and Morden) expressed her concerns surrounding the protests in Parliament Square and called for the foreign secretary to come to the House at the earliest available opportunity to lend his support.

"We need to take a lead for our citizens who are protesting outside," she said.

Harman said the prime minister had taken a leading role on this and international progress would have to be made.

This sentiment was echoed by Keith Vaz (Lab, Leicester East) who called for a statement from the foreign secretary as soon as possible.