摘要：Long before phrases such as "democratic deficit" and "empowerment of MPs" became fashionable the 1985 Report of the Special Committee on Reform of the House of Commons (McGrath Report) called for a strengthened role for standing committees of the House in shaping public policy. It recommended "wider use of parliamentary committees to review draft legislation, to conduct general inquiries when policy choices have not been made, and to bring in draft bills." Overall, it insisted that standing committees should play an important part in influencing policy through the legislative process. As a result the Standing Orders were modified to allow some Bills to be send to committee before Second Reading. This has been done on a few occasions. However it was not until very recently that the government went even further and following the recommendation of the McGrath Report asked a Parliamentary Committee to review and report on draft legislation before it was even introduced in the House. The issue was assisted human reproduction and in 2001, Allan Rock, Minister of Health, asked the Standing Committee on Health to examine and formulate policy on this complex and controversial topic. This article reflects upon the use of this approach to giving members of Parliament a greater role in the legislative and policy process.
