Westminster e-petitions event

I've just got back from London where I took part in a panel debate hosted by the Hansard society on e-petitions at Portcullis House. The procedure committee at Westminster instigated a review in to e-petitions last year, and the event was held to discuss the effectiveness of such systems, and the development of the democratic process.

The procedure committee has put a series of recommendations forward to the Government in order to develop a new e-petitions system which may be introduced instead of the 10 Downing Street petitions system, which currently does not put any obligation on Ministers to react to various petitions ( the conjestion charge petition being a case in point). This system would call for Ministers to reply to any correspondence arising from petitions within a set time, and for at least 3 petitions to be discussed on the floor of Parliament within a year. The procedure committee may have the potential to be the gatekeeper for such petitions, to help petitioners word their petitions effectively, and they may also refer any petition to a select committee to consider in greater detail. It will be interesting to see what the Government's response will be to these new proposals, especially as the Prime Minister has just launched an 'Ask the PM' youtube site to try and engage with the younger voters( although any questions asked will not be replied to until mid June!) As I mentioned in my speech, perhaps it is time for Westminster to follow Wales's lead.....

We launched our e-petitions system in April and we have had at least 10 e-petitions so far ( one to pull down the display of Thatcher...interesting!) and so far I believe that the petitions committee has been a success in terms of providing a clear link with the electorate here in Wales. We did our first site visit only two weeks ago to Blaenau Gwent to see plans for a bypass that local people are calling for so that lorries do not continually drive past the only school in the area. Going out on such visits gives us as committee members a clearer idea of what the petitioners have in mind, and how we can best help them in their campaign. We are also organising to take the petitions committee out to other areas of Wales considering the success of our North Wales meeting. Of course, publicising the petitions system is integral, and I hope that we can use the summer festivals to raise awareness of what the petitions system has to offer.