Reform

The Government was elected with a mandate to modernise.  This commitment is clear and comprehensive.  Modernisation of the House of Commons and the House of Lords is vital and so is the health of our democracy.

Through chairmanship of the cross-party Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons and various Cabinet Committees, which consider issues including House of Lords Reform, Electoral Policy and Parliamentary Modernisation, the Leader is a key driver of the process of reform and modernisation.

The Leader also has overall Ministerial responsibility for House of Lords reform and the funding of political parties.

Central to the process of reform is the desire to improve engagement between democracy and the people it serves.

"All of the specific duties of the Leader can be summarised in a few words - making our system of Parliamentary democracy work better.  And that simple but vitally important aim can benefit us all - party, government and, most importantly, the people we serve."

Speech to the Hansard Society - 11 July 2006