Thursday was another interesting day. And a varied one. The planned online meetings worked out as planned. The boffins - am I very old-fashioned to use that word? - in the Parliament, clearly worry a bit about us Parliamentarians' ability to adapt to the world of online meetings. The experience in Wales this week perhaps confirms their concerns. It's always been the case that a key rule for politicians is - assume all microphones are live at all times. But when you can't see the microphone or forget you are "mic'd up", danger beckons. Gordon Brown, over a decade ago, got into his car and forgot he was still wearing a broadcaster's radio mic on his lapel. His words of exasperation about someone he had just met were captured and subsequently transmitted. I have been using a Chromebook as my "device du jour" for my broadcasting. Don't worry too much about the techie language - inevitably as a software engineer I acquire computers like a st...

The pace of change seems to be stepping up. This week will see me participate in eleven online video discussions, only one of which is social. Two are international discussions centred around COVID-19 and its potential long-term effects. The remainder are Parliamentary. But I think we have further transitions in our mode of working to make. We shall have legislation to progress. And I am deeply concerned that this key part of our duties excludes those of us unable to be present physically. With social distancing rules also restricting the number who can be present in the Chamber, the scrutiny is potentially reduced while we are accelerating the pace at which we make new, albeit mostly temporary, new laws. The risk of error is rising, although I cannot see any yet. Others may. Two difficulties exist that need our attention. We don't seem to be able to run sessions where some members are physically present while others are "dialled in" from home. And yet even Westmins...

Today marks the start of a very different, and much more active, online Parliament. This morning, I shall be part of an informal Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee meeting. In the afternoon, I shall be at a private "set-up" meeting of the new COVID-19 Committee which Parliament agreed to establish yesterday. During tomorrow it's an informal meeting of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee. On Friday we have our first formal meeting of the COVID-19 Committee. It's followed in the afternoon by questions to Ministers. The COVID-19 Committee has among its responsibilities, oversight of the new, and rapidly developed legislation brought in in response to the coronovirus epidemic. Some of this is time-limited. There is a requirement for the Government to make various reports to Parliament on how they are using their new, and quite wide-ranging powers. I expect the new Committee will be the first port for these reports. So despite my being req...