Prime Minister’s statement on Constitutional Reform

From @LabourList

Here are the most important points of the PM’s statement in the House this afternoon on plans for Constituional renewal:

* All MPs’ past and future expenses should and will be published on the internet in the next few days.

* Second home claims submitted by MPs from all sides of the House over the last four years must be scrutinised by the independently led panel.

* A proposed new authority would take over the role of the Fees Office in authorising members’ claims; oversee the new allowance system – following proposals from the Committee on Standards in Public Life; maintain the register of Members’ interests; and disallow claims, require repayment and apply firm and appropriate sanctions in cases of financial irregularity.

* The House will be asked to agree a statutory code of conduct for all MPs, clarifying their role in relation to their constituents and Parliament. It will codify much more clearly the different potential offences that must be addressed and the options available to sanction.

* We will progressively reduce the time taken to release official documents. We have considered the need to strengthen protection for particularly sensitive material and there will be protection of Royal Family and Cabinet papers as part of strictly limited exemptions. But we will reduce the time for release of all other official documents below the current 30 years, to 20 years. And so that Government information is accessible and useful for the widest possible group of people, I have asked Sir Tim Berners-Lee who led the creation of the World Wide Web, to help us drive the opening up of access to Government data in the web over the coming month.

* Over the coming weeks, the Government will set out proposals for debate and reform on five major issues:

1 – Reform of the House of Lords. The Government’s White Paper, published last July, and for which there is backing from other parties, committed us to an 80 per cent or 100 per cent elected House of Lords. We must now take the next steps as we complete this reform.

2 – Consultation on a written constitution.

3 – The devolution of power to local communities: stronger, clearly defined powers to local Government and city-regions and strengthen their accountability to local people.

4 – Review of the electoral system. I still believe the link between the MP and constituency is essential and that it is the constituency that is best able to hold MPs to account. We will set out proposals for taking this debate forward.

5 -Increasing public engagement in politics. To improve electoral registration, we will consider how we increase the number of people on the register and help to combat fraud. We will set out the steps we will take to increase the engagement of young people in politics – including whether to give further consideration to the voting age.

Mr Speaker, in the midst of all the rancour and recrimination, let us seize the moment to lift our politics to a higher standard. In the midst of doubt, let us revive confidence. Let us stand together because on this at least I think we all agree: that Britain deserves a political system equal to the hopes and character of our people. Let us differ on policy; that is inevitable. But let us stand together for integrity and democracy; that is now more essential then ever.