Members of Parliament voted to establish select committees for each of 8 English regions.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 12 November 2008, columns 851-862, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | NLGN press release | Liberal Democrats press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Nov
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on parliamentary inquiries. It said that it did not share the committee's view that it was more legitimate, and served the interests of accountability more effectively, for parliament – rather than the executive – to inquire into the actions of executive government.
Source: Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry: Government Response to the Committee's Ninth Report, Eleventh Special Report (Session 2007-08), HC 1060, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2008-Oct
A report by a committee of peers examined recent developments concerning relations between government ministers, judges, and parliament. It called for the ministerial code to be amended so that it gave 'clear and unambiguous' guidance to ministers about how they should or should not comment about judges in public.
Source: Relations Between the Executive, the Judiciary and Parliament: Follow-up Report, 11th Report (Session 2007-08), HL 177, House of Lords Constitution Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Oct
A report by a joint committee of MPs and peers commended the government for taking the first steps towards its stated objective of making government more accountable to Parliament. However, the committee had found it 'difficult to discern' the principles underpinning the Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill, and asked the government to reflect further on whether 'Constitutional Renewal' was an appropriate title.
Source: Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill, HC 551 and HL 166, Joint Committee on Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill (House of Lords and House of Commons) Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Jul
The government published a report setting out the progress achieved in its programme for constitutional change, a year after publication of a Green Paper.
Source: Governance of Britain: One Year On, Ministry of Justice (020 7210 8500)
Links: Report | Hansard | MOJ press release | ERS press release
Date: 2008-Jul
The government published a White Paper on reform of the House of Lords. Most, if not all, peers would be elected and serve terms of between 12 and 15 years. The Lords would be reduced in size from more than 700 peers to no more than 450. The bishops would retain their membership: but the 92 hereditary peers would be abolished. Any change would only take place after the next General Election.
Source: An Elected Second Chamber: Further reform of the House of Lords, Cm 7438, Ministry of Justice, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: White Paper | Hansard | MOJ press release | ERS press release | Liberal Democrats press release | BBC report | Guardian report | FT report
Date: 2008-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs said that a House of Commons Select Committee should be created for each region of England, so that MPs could scrutinize the work of regional development agencies.
Source: Regional Accountability, Third Report (Session 2007-08), HC 282, House of Commons Modernisation Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2008-Jul
A report examined the influences and elements that came together in making new laws. Through five case studies, it analyzed how legislative proposals changed as they progressed from policy proposal to Act of Parliament. The widely held view of Parliament as a 'rubber stamp' for government legislation bore little resemblance to reality. External actors had a marked influence on legislation, often by working closely with parliamentarians.
Source: Alex Brazier, Susanna Kalitowski and Gemma Rosenblatt with Matt Korris, Law in the Making: Influence and change in the legislative process, Hansard Society (020 7955 7459)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs said that Parliament should be able to bypass ministers and launch its own inquiries into issues of exceptional public concern, where the government was 'reluctant' to submit itself to scrutiny.
Source: Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry, Ninth Report (Session 2007-08), HC 473, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | BBC report
Date: 2008-May
The government published (following consultation) a White Paper and Draft Bill on constitutional reform. It put forward a new requirement for the Attorney General to report to Parliament on an annual basis, and reduced the powers of the Attorney General in respect of decisions to prosecute. It removed the Prime Minister from the process for appointing Supreme Court judges, and reduced the Lord Chancellor's role in judicial appointments below the High Court. It put the Civil Service's core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality into law, as well as the fundamental principle of appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
Source: Governance of Britain: Constitutional Renewal, Cm 7342, Ministry of Justice, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: White Paper | Draft Bill | Analysis of Consultation | Hansard | MOJ press release | Civil Service Commissioners press release | Attorney General press release | Law Commission press release | Bar Council press release | LGA press release | Liberal Democrats press release | FT report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Mar
The government announced a new systematic approach for strengthening the scrutiny of laws after they had been enacted by Parliament. Government departments would publish a memorandum on appropriate Acts of Parliament, which would enable the departmental select committees of the Commons to decide whether to conduct further scrutiny.
Source: Post-legislative Scrutiny: The Government's Approach, Cm 7320, Leader of the House of Commons, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Hansard | HOC Leader press release | Liberal Democrats press release
Date: 2008-Mar