[tz] UK news about Rebecca Harris' Daylight Saving Bill (no changes yet)

[Peter Ilieve]

In January I sent something about the latest attempt to change the clocks
in the UK: MP Rebecca Harris' Daylight Saving Bill (a private members' Bill).
If passed, this Bill might result in the UK moving the clocks forward
an hour so we match most of Europe. The Bill is still waiting for its
committee stage, the next stage of its passage though Parliament.

Today the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills issued a press
release saying they will be tabling amendments to the Bill, with the
implication that if passed, the government might support it. The main
thing mentioned is a requirement to consult the devolved administrations
in Scotland and Wales, and to get the agreement of the Northern Ireland
administration. There is also mention of changing the Bill's independent
commission (that would assess the study that the Bill proposes) into
an independent oversight group that would advise the government.

The amendments haven't appeared on the Bill's pages on the Parliament
website yet, but they look like wrecking amendments to me, rather
than any evidence of the government changing its mind. The chances of
the Scottish government agreeing to this are very low as polls have
always shown most Scots are against advancing the clocks. The change
from the commission to an oversight group looks like an attempt to
change it into something the government can ignore, whatever it reports.

The press release says the Bill's committee stage is expected in early
November so something should happen soon.

The press release is at
<http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=421778&NewsAreaID=2>
and the Bill's main page is at
<http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2010-11/daylightsaving.html>.


-- 
		Peter Ilieve		peter at aldie.co.uk