By Ned Simons - 10th March 2011
I must confess that I do not Google, Twitter, tweet or blog, nor do I have any particular desire to do any of those things
Lord Cormack
Peers are to be allowed to use iPads in the House of Lords despite fears they may use them to Google, Tweet, blog and gamble online.
From today members of the upper chamber will be able to use hand-held electronic devices during parliamentary debates.
But their use will be restricted to accessing "parliamentary papers and other documents that are clearly and closely relevant" to the debate taking place at the time.
Outlining the new rules, the chairman of committees Lord Brabazon said it was "perfectly reasonable" for peers who prefer to access documents electronically rather than relying on a multitude of paper copies to be allowed to do so.
The change in rules came after peers approved recommendations from the administration and works committee.
Lord Brabazon said: "The report is clear that members should not use electronic devices to search for material for use in debate to which other participants do not have access".
And he warned peers that it would not be appropriate for them to use Google News to search for media comment on a subject and then use that information in an intervention.
Quite how that rule would be policed is unclear, and several peers said the new regulations were as confused as the old ones which Lord Brabazon said were "outdated and incomplete" as well as "inconsistent and contradictory".
Lord Harris questioned the ruling that only "hand-held" devices were allowed. "How big is the hand?" he asked.
"Does that include holding an iPad or a Kindle? What is or is not a laptop? Is it something that opens and closes?"
And standing up for the more traditional elements in the House, newly ennobled peer Lord Cormack worried that having colleagues tapping away on their touchscreens would not be conducive to good debate.
"I must confess that I do not Google, Twitter, tweet or blog, nor do I have any particular desire to do any of those things," he said.
"Anybody sitting in this chamber with a handheld device could do anything from googling facts to getting in touch with his bookmaker".
Seeking to clarify the rules on what type of devices were allowed, Lord Higgins asked whether iPads would be all right but netbooks would not.
Lord Brabazon admitted: "I am not sure that I completely know the definition of a netbook and how it is different."
Lord Higgns said it was a "question of whether they click or not."
The House authorities would "prefer devices that do not click", Lord Brabazon confirmed.
Article Comments
I use a notebook when I attend meetings to note details of what has been discussed and the outcome. This helps me to keep a record of went went on which I have found very useful. I read my notes prior to the meeting and this helps me remember what went on at the last meeting and prepare for the meeting that I am about to attend.
If i were to find on the internet details of what people were saying about an issue, I would copy it and issue a copy to each member of the meeting either by e-mail or a hard copy. I belive that the more information you have the better the final decision of the meeting is.
Margaret
11th Mar 2011 at 1:16 pm
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