A study of the influence of parliamentary select committees found that one-third of committee recommendations calling for significant policy change were implemented by government. But the committees' main form of influence might consist of 'generating fear' in government: ministers and senior officials increasingly thought about how something would look if examined by a committee.
Source: Meg Russell and Meghan Benton, Selective Influence: The policy impact of House of Commons select committees , Constitution Unit (University of London)
Links: Report | Constitution Unit press release | Nuffield Foundation press release
Date: 2011-Jun
The draft House of Lords Reform Bill was published by the coalition government. The Bill was designed to produce a much smaller chamber, made up of (wholly or mainly) elected members.
Source: House of Lords Reform Draft Bill, Cm 8077, Cabinet Office, TSO
Links: Draft Bill | Hansard | Cabinet Office press release | BHA press release | CoE press release | ERS press release | Fawcett Society press release | Labour Party press release | NSS press release | UCL press release | BBC report
Date: 2011-May
A report by a committee of MPs said that MPs should be able to apply for the opportunity to ask oral questions without notice on a written ministerial statement made in the preceding week.
Source: Ministerial Statements, First Report (Session 2010-11), HC 602, House of Commons Procedure Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs made recommendations designed to improve the effectiveness of parliamentary scrutiny. It said that select committees be allowed to table amendments to Bills and motions on the floor of the House of Commons; that MPs and opposition spokespeople be encouraged to table explanatory statements on amendments to Bills, and that the government use this facility to provide explanatory statements to clarify the origin of amendments and new clauses proposed on Report; and that there should be a three-month trial involving a daily quota, and an earlier daily deadline, on questions for written answer.
Source: Improving the Effectiveness of Parliamentary Scrutiny: (a) Select Committee Amendments (b) Explanatory Statements on Amendments (c) Written Parliamentary Questions, Second Report (Session 2010-11), HC 800, House of Commons Procedure Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report
Date: 2011-Mar
A think-tank report said that the 'first-past-the-post' system for electing MPs was 'broken' and was likely to produce increasingly undemocratic results. The May 2010 general election had been effectively decided in just 111 constituencies by fewer than 460,000 voters – or 1.6 per cent of the electorate.
Source: Guy Lodge and Glenn Gottfried, Worst of Both Worlds: Why first past the post no longer works, Institute for Public Policy Research
Links: Report | IPPR press release | Guardian report | Telegraph report | BBC report
Date: 2011-Jan