Opposition House Leader and Party Whip John Barritt has called for a revamp of the rules of the House of Assembly to ensure better scrutiny of Government.

In a submission to Britain's Foreign Affairs Committee probe into security and good governance of the UK's Overseas Territories, Mr. Barritt said it had been 30 years since the House rules were updated and he said the legislature is not as effective as it should be.

He said it was unacceptable that three key standing committees still met in private — the Private Bills Committee, the Joint Select Committee on the Register of Members' Interests and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The PAC itself had recommended its meetings be open to press and public, but the Rules and Privileges Committee of the House, which is controlled by Government members overruled that, said Mr. Barritt who added the PAC was important for monitoring Government spending.

"Unfortunately it is not as active and as effective as it should be," he said. Sometimes it didn't meet because of a lack of a quorum and it can be stymied if Government members refuse to attend — but efforts to boost membership had been rejected, he said in his submission which has just been published on the Hansard website of Hansard, official record of the House of Commons

Mr. Barritt also complained about rules which said Ministers cannot be asked more than three questions per sitting which he said "constitutes a further limitation as some Ministers have responsibility for multiple departments".

He noted questions must be submitted ten days in advance and those which cannot be asked and answered within the first hour of meeting are reduced to writing and thus there is no opportunity for supplementary questions on the floor of the House.

But Mr. Barritt added: "There is no sanction for Ministers who decline to answer questions or defer them to when they prefer to answer them.

"On the other hand, Government Ministers are at liberty in the first hour to read Ministerial statements which are not subject at that time to either question or debate."

And Mr. Barritt complained about the practice of ministers running down the time allowed in the Budget debate with waffle which he said stifled debate and prevented a close examination of spending.

"It hardly makes possible the meaningful oversight which might reasonably be expected — and required — in a modern parliamentary jurisdiction."

He said the Opposition had attempted to institute change but on each occasion over the past eight years those recom to the Rules and Privileges Committee which had rejected change.

The fact there was no sanction for members who failed to disclose their relevant financial assets and holdings on the Register of Members' Interests was also raised by Mr. Barritt who voiced support for the UK's intention to extend the U.N. Convention Against Corruption to Bermuda and other Overseas Territories.

"It is our understanding that this has been discussed with the Overseas Territories at recent Consultative Conferences and (we) believe that it may well facilitate the introduction and development of 'Integrity In Public Service' Legislation in Bermuda.

"In light of recent experience in Bermuda with a Government-funded quango (Bermuda Housing Corporation) and allegations of improprieties that warranted criminal investigation, as well as the Auditor General's reported concerns about a "growing culture of opportunity for dishonesty" within Government, it is clear that our anti-corruption legislative framework needs to be overhauled and modernised."

The FAC is reviewing a variety of submissions and is expected to release its report this summer.