E-petitions scheme looks ever more likely

MPs asked to come up with workable system to allow public to influence Commons debates

Public e-petitions could influence Parliament

House of Commons business manager Harriet Harman has asked the proposed committee charged with modernising Parliamentary procedures to come up with a workable e-petitions system that will result in members of the public determining some of what MPs debate in the Commons.

She dismissed as "groundwork" proposals that have already been drawn up by the Commons Procedure Committee for an expensive system that left MPs in the driving seat when it came to selecting subjects for debate. But she said the work could be brought to fruition by the new committee.

It is believed the deputy Labour leader has in mind a simpler system requiring petitions to be considered for debate if they are "in order" and properly drawn up and presented, and if they attract sufficient numbers of signatories.

The Procedure Committee wanted to preserve a role for local MPs in the process.