KEITH Smith (Letters, July 21) asks where I stand on the election of chairs of Parliamentary Select Committees.
I spoke in the debate and made an independent judgement when it came to the votes. I supported the Government's proposal for the Foreign Affairs Committee, but not for the Transport Committee.
Donald Anderson has been a good chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, but he also chairs the UK delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and I wanted these top Parliamentary jobs to be shared out more widely.
Gwyneth Dunwoody has also been an effective chair of the Transport Committee and I wanted to support her.
The Government's response to the votes has been good. They have agreed to draw up new proposals for selecting these committees to give parliament, not the Government and Opposition parties, control over the process.
Hugh Bayley MP, York.
Updated: 10:44 Wednesday, July 25, 2001
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