A committee of MPs tasked with proposing reform to the procedures of the Commons has said at the moment many members "do not see the point of attending debates".
A special 18-member select committee on reform of the House of Commons was appointed in July.
In its report published today it called for radical changes to the way the Commons runs its business.
The committee recommended that one day of Commons business per week should be decided by backbenchers and committee chairmen should be elected.
In the report's introduction the committee refected the widespread dissolusionment felt by MPs.
"The core business of Parliament has to matter more to the public and to individual members.
"At present many members do not see the point in attending debates or making the House the primary focus of their activities.
"In order to address this we must give members back a sense of ownership of their own institution, the ability to set its agenda and take meaningful decisions, and ensure the business of the chamber is responsive to public concerns.
"We believe this is what the public demands, what the institution needs and what most members want.
"The present crisis presents an opportunity to make some real progress with this."
The committee said backbench MPs are "fed up with their inability to make a difference and the deadweight of timeworn procedures.
"Select committees are universally praised but have few opportunities to initiate debates or propose amendments to legislation and sometimes struggle to maintain a quorum."
The committee also said that "a crisis of confidence not experienced in our lifetimes" led to its establishment.
"This is largely, but not exclusively, because of the revelations about members' expenses, bringing with it a storm of public disapproval and contempt.
"Public confidence in the House and in members as a whole has been low for some time, but not as low as now.
"It is not too much to say that the institution is in crisis."
The MPs said the modernisation committee, chaired by Commons leader Harriet Harman, "has run out of steam and not met for over a year".
Despite positive changes such as sittings in Westminster Hall and oral questions without notice to ministers, "a number of the proposals from that committee, and the procedure committee and others, have been shelved, sidelined or simply disregarded, often without being put to the House, which is dispiriting for reform and reformers".
The reform committee said that the current MPs owed it to the large number of new members expected to be elected at the general election to make changes now.
"This is essentially a matter for the judgement and will of the House.
"What we would now expect is a debate within the next two months when a House majority can freely determine the outcome.
"The proposals which we make must only be implemented with all-party agreement, and not imposed on the House by a government majority.
"They will inevitably need implementation in stages.
"Some changes can take effect in the course of the last session of this Parliament, such as some of the changes to petition procedures we recommend.
"Others can only come into effect in a new Parliament, such as the changes relating to select committee chairs and members, and the scheduling of business.
"The necessary standing orders can and should be passed in this Parliament so that the new Parliament can start with new procedures and practices."
At business questions last week Harriet Harman, Commons leader, said that "no doubt decisions will have to be made by the House as a whole" following the reform committee's report's publication.
"I shall try to make sure that we have as much time as possible to debate it, and that we are able to come to resolutions and decisions on it as soon as possible, commensurate with hon. Members having time to look at the report and debate it."
