We have seen the return of Select Committees able to meet every week this week, which certainly is upping the level of scrutiny. But we are also light on numbers in Parliament, as many members are still obliged to shield themselves or members of their family. I am now a proxy for three other members, which has certainly caused some raised eyebrows.
I thought Marcus Rashford’s letter, which popped into my inbox very early in the morning on Monday, was a very powerful intervention, and I said so at the time. I met the Secretary of State for Education on Tuesday morning and asked him to look at what could be done to extend the free school meals throughout the summer, and later in the afternoon we heard it would happen.
The ballot system for participation in Urgent Questions and Statements continues in Parliament. The good thing about it (in my view) is that many more Members are participating, the bad is that there is no opportunity to bob up and down and have the chance to get called. This week I have been spectacularly unsuccessful in the ballots, often making the top 100 so the hint of being called is dangled, but not the top 50 other than in the Home Secretary’s Statement on Monday. Given I had entered 2 ballots a day every day that is not a very good strike rate. But the continued use of virtual participation is, in my view, a very good thing and it is bringing in colleagues from around the country very effectively.
