The majority of the recommendations in the report from the Speaker's Commission on Digital Democracy are for the House itself to consider and respond to.
In relation to the recommendations regarding the legislative process, the Government is committed to ensuring that the legislation it puts before Parliament is of a high standard and to ensuring that Parliament has the necessary means by which to perform its scrutiny function.
In April 2013, the Government launched the Good Law initiative, designed to promote law which is effective, clear and accessible. Various initiatives have been introduced this Parliament designed to improve the legislative process, including the use of explanatory statements on amendments, improved explanatory notes and piloting public reading stages of Bills. The Government has also given sufficient time to allow proper scrutiny in public bill committees and provided additional days at Commons report stages where necessary.
The Speaker's Commission also recommended that secure online voting should be an option for all voters by 2020. To make online voting available for UK elections could be attractive in light of current advances in IT. However, there are concerns that e-voting is not sufficiently transparent or secure.
The major issue raised by those opposed to the introduction of e-voting is that it is not sufficiently robust or trusted. In addition, the cost of introducing such a system would be substantial. Public support for such measures is still far from universal and traditional means of voting (such as polling stations and postal voting) remain popular with the electorate. Therefore, any means of e-voting would have to be introduced as an additional voting channel. Whilst e-voting may be something for the Government to consider in the future, it is not an immediate priority. The experience of the referendum on Scottish independence shows us that if people are engaged in the democratic process they will turn out to vote using the existing mechanism.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-02-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-23T18:40:44.347Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Speaker's Commission on Digital Democracy"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, what assessment he has made of the implications for the Government's policies of the report from the Speaker's Commission on Digital Democracy entitled Open Up, published in January 2015; and which recommendations of that report he plans to implement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/301", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Richard Burden"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Northfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Burden"}
], "uin" : "224060"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/175518", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/175518/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
As part of the Short Money scheme, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition receives an annual sum to meet costs incurred in caryring out its parliamentary business. Travel costs for the Leader of the Oppsition are not funded separately. However, each party in receipt of Short Money may claim for travelling expenses incurred by opposition spokespeople in relation to the party's parliamentary business. Payments made in respect of both budgets are shown below:<\/p>
| Financial Year<\/td> | Office of the Leader of Opposition<\/td> | Labour Party Travel<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2010/11 (from 7 May 2010)<\/td> | £604,493.00<\/td> | £129,991.79<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2011/12<\/td> | £700,699.00<\/td> | £150,679.43<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2012/13<\/td> | £734,333.00<\/td> | £157,912.04<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2013/14<\/td> | £757,096.86<\/td> | £162,807.53<\/td><\/tr> |
| 2014/15 (to 26 January 2015)<\/td> | £583,153.86<\/td> | £0.00<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-28T14:18:34.27Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Leader of the Opposition"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, what the cost to the public purse was of the Leader of the Opposition's Short Money travel allowance, paid to the Labour Party, in each individual financial year in the 2010 Parliament to date.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4092", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Metcalfe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Basildon and East Thurrock"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Metcalfe"}
], "uin" : "221925"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171677", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171677/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Yes. I will ensure that the House has an early opportunity to debate the report from the House of Commons Governance Committee and to act upon it on an agreed basis.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-05T16:19:17.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "House of Commons Governance Select Committee"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, if he will ensure that a debate with an opportunity for a division is held on the report by the House of Commons Governance Committee on the Governance of the House of Commons, HC 692.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/280", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michael Fabricant"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lichfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Michael Fabricant"} ], "uin" : "219399"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171678", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/171678/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No. In July 2012 the House voted against a proposal to consider Private Members' bills on Tuesday evenings, following a report from the Procedure Committee on Sittings of the House. In its subsequent report on Private Members' bills, the Committee assessed the timing of consideration for these bills but did not recommend a significant increase in the total amount of time available.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-01-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-01-05T16:22:00.16Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Private Members' Bills"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, if he will (a) reassess and (b) increase the amount of parliamentary time allocated for Private Members' Bills.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3953", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jason McCartney"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colne Valley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jason McCartney"} ], "uin" : "219447"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170524", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/170524/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " I have made no estimate of the savings specific to my Office following the introduction of the electronic Q&A system, but like other Whitehall Departments, I expect to see savings delivered through the more efficient use of staff time, including through the removal of the need to deliver paper copies of answers, as well as in the reduction of the overall use of paper and other resources. I have not made a recent assessment of the effect of the creation of the Backbench Business Committee on the work of the House, but the Government response to the Procedure Committee review, published in February 2013, agreed that the Backbench Business Committee had been 'widely welcomed as a successful and effective innovation'.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr William Hague"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-12-04T15:52:32.57Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "34"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Leader of the House"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-12-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Backbench Business Committee"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Leader of the House, what assessment he has made of the effect of the creation of the Backbench Business Committee on the work of the House.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1610", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr William Bain"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow North East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr William Bain"} ], "uin" : "906424"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/166409", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Leader of the House"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/166409/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " None. Short money is not available to parties whose Members have not taken the Oath.<\/p> However, under a resolution of the House of 8 February 2006, financial assistance is provided to opposition parties represented by Members who have chosen not to take their seats. It is under this resolution that Sinn Fein Members claim expenses in connection with the party's representative business. The information on ministerial travel is published at:<\/p> (i) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0008.htm<\/a><\/p> (ii) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm<\/a><\/p> |