Savings Programme

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — House of Commons Commission – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 20 January 2011.

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Photo of Hugh Bayley Hugh Bayley NATO Parliamentary Assembly UK Delegation 10:30, 20 January 2011

I welcome the hon. Gentleman to his new role. I understand why the House is making savings, but we would not find it acceptable if budget cuts prevented a quarter of our Members from travelling to Westminster to attend debates or Committees. A few of our Select Committees exist specifically to scrutinise the impact and effectiveness of Government policies and expenditure abroad. Does the House of Commons Commission accept that it is sometimes essential for those Committees to travel to other countries, and that, when they do so, none of their members should be excluded from their meetings?