SMIP Committee Report
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SCHEDULING OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS
46. Another concern to members of the Committee is the number of committee meetings that are packed in between Tuesday morning and Thursday noon. The result is that Members often find themselves in a situation where they are expected to be at several simultaneous meetings, and few Members are available to attend the proceedings of the House. When the hours of sitting of the House were changed in 1982, it was envisaged that Members would take advantage of the House not sitting in the evening and use this period for committee work. In 1994 a “block system” for committee meetings was adopted by the House, based on the 28th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.
47. Most committee meetings are held while the House is sitting. The Committee recognizes the many demands placed on the time of Members, but we feel that this telescoping of the time for parliamentary business is an unfortunate development. We believe that the whips should be requested to develop a plan, to be in place for September 2001, for the scheduling of committee meetings. We would expect them to consult their caucuses, as well as the House administration regarding the staffing implications. We would hope that efforts could be made in increase meetings on Mondays and Fridays, as well as in the evenings. Consideration could also be given to suggestions that the opening time for the House be changed to permit longer meetings before the House opens.
The Committee recommends that the party whips develop a plan for the scheduling of committee meetings, to be implemented in the autumn of 2001.