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When scientific knowledge is applied to human life’s practical aims to change the environment, it is known as technology. Since mid-twentieth century, the world has drastically changed due to technological development. It is hard to keep up with all the progress that has been made, and the British House of Commons is no secret of keeping outdated technologies. The government’s technology, digital and data function is led by Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO). It is responsible for the government’s capability, standards and strategy development. Here are some of the outdated technologies still used in the House of Commons.
Legacy Systems
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The UK Parliament still uses the legacy systems that date back to the 1970s. Some of these systems are used for significant purposes such as maintaining the UK borders and paying State pensions. The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) is taking concrete action to understand why these systems still exist and how critical it is to modify or change the high-risk legacy systems.
Mail System
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Though the usage of computer networks has increased exponentially over the last couple of decades, the mail is still considered the reliable source of communications in the House of Commons. It was the sole organ of communication in the past; the postal service is still organized to the maximum utility to Members.
Old Fashioned way of Voting
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Until recently, the Members of Parliament (MPs), particularly those of the House of Commons, used to walk through the voting lobbies and say aye or nay with electronic voting. It was still intact till the Covid-19 pandemic. Now the MPs can use tablets to assist them during their speech or in committees.
Parliamentary Publications
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Another outdated method, despite the presence of modern-day technologies, is the decade-old convention of printing parliamentary proceedings. All the Parliamentary Debates inside the House of Commons are published substantially word by word in books. This convention began in 1909 and is still in place. It is generally known as the Official Report or Hansard. Approximately 80 million pages are printed every year as part of the publications.
Submitting a Petition
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A formal written request from one or more persons addressed to the Parliament, the Government or the Sovereign is known as a petition. Besides the modernization in a number of conventions of the House, a petition might be presented informally to the Speaker of the House by putting it in a green bag attached to the back of his Chair. Even before it reaches the Speaker, an individual’s petition must be sent to an MP in unsealed mail.
Conclusion
To sum it up, the lower house of the British Parliament, i.e. House of Commons still uses outdated technologies. These include half a century-old Legacy Systems, Mail System, the age-old Parliamentary Publications and use the green bag to present an informal petition. Despite this, things have changed from Fax to Facebook, mail to emails, and the pronouncement of a vote to using modern-day tablets. Many of these changes took place over the course of the pandemic as the use of ICT highly increased.
Muhammad Asfandyar is a lawyer having extensive experience in creative content writing, proofreading, legal and academic research writing. He can be reached at asfandyar.edw@gmail.com