Bermuda's legislators made a "quantum leap" yesterday as three measures aimed at making the leaders of the country more accountable were launched in the House of Assembly.

The first question time for Cabinet Ministers took place on the same day that a long-awaited freedom of information bill was tabled.

And the whole thing was digitally recorded in preparation for a new official Hansard — a printed transcript of the parliamentary debates which take place in Sessions House.

Speaker Stanley Lowe told MPs: "This truly is a remarkable beginning of our parliamentary session in the lead up to the summer. It's what we call a quantum leap."

As the session began, Mr. Lowe explained that new Standing Orders for the House now allow MPs to quiz Cabinet Ministers.

They are allowed to ask questions without notice that arise out of ministerial statements or on matters of "urgent public importance". They can follow up with two supplementary questions.

Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson was the first to pose a query yesterday but she got little in the way of a response from her Government counterpart Walter Roban.

He had earlier spoken on the FutureCare health insurance scheme for seniors and Mrs. Jackson asked him why those aged over 70 in phase two of the scheme had to pay $600 a month for benefits that those in phase one were getting at a lower cost.

Several people sitting in the public gallery called out at that point but Mr. Lowe chided them: "Members in the public gallery must not react in any way. It's a privilege for you to be in the House."

Mr. Roban referred Mrs. Jackson to previous statements he has made on FutureCare, which he said answered the question. She then asked how the "calculated phasing of FutureCare which discriminates against people because of their age" could be justified.

"I'm slightly bewildered as to whether that's a question or statement," said the Health Minister. "Discrimination is not factored into phase two of FutureCare."

Opposition MP John Barritt, who helped draft the new Standing Orders with former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith, asked Premier Ewart Brown questions arising from a statement about the British Government objecting to Bermuda putting Russian planes on its aircraft registry.

In response, Dr. Brown revealed that an initial concern was raised after a Russian aircraft registered in Bermuda crashed and the pilot was later found to be inebriated.

He told MPs that the aircraft register raised $13 million for the Island and it wasn't clear why the UK was objecting to it being a "revenue-raising business". "I sense another agenda," he said.

Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons asked if he would release the letter from Britain to the House. "Absolutely, yes," said Dr. Brown.

The questions ended after about 20 minutes, though Mr. Lowe said they could go on for an hour. He described the first "dry run" as a success.

Earlier, the Premier gave a statement on the Public Access to Information Act 2010, describing the tabling of the legislation as an expansion of his administration's commitment to openness.

Dame Jennifer, the Deputy Speaker, spoke on Hansard, explaining that the infrastructure was now in place to "finally facilitate the digital audio transcription" of House proceedings.

"Today marks a milestone in the history of this honourable House," she said. "Today we take another step forward in the modernisation of Parliament.

"It is expected that this new capability will help to create a greater awareness of what it is that we do. It will also allow for greater transparency."

The summer session of Parliament will be recorded using the new equipment but an official Hansard will not be produced until the process had been reviewed and guidelines crafted.

The system has the capability to allow recorded sessions from the House to be replayed over the Internet. "But that's for the future; all in good time," said Dame Jennifer.

John Barritt, the UBP's spokesman for legislative and public administration reform, told The Royal Gazette he was pleased with the progress made on a single day in Parliament.

"I actually sat there in amazement, as I reflected on what has been achieved," he said. "First steps, as I see it, in the right direction."