Hansard Society for Parliamentary Democracy

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Queen Elizabeth Tower, UK Houses of Parliament

Latest

Guides / Financial Scrutiny: the Budget

In order to raise income, the government needs to obtain approval from Parliament for its taxation plans. The Budget process is the means by which the House of Commons considers the government’s plans to impose 'charges on the people' and its assessment of the wider state of the economy.

23 Apr 2021
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Guides / Financial Scrutiny: the Estimates Cycle

In order to incur expenditure the government needs to obtain approval from Parliament for its departmental spending plans. The annual Estimates cycle is the means by which the House of Commons controls the government’s plans for the spending of money raised through taxation.

13 Jul 2020
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Data / Coronavirus Statutory Instruments Dashboard

The national effort to tackle the Coronavirus health emergency has resulted in UK ministers being granted some of the broadest legislative powers ever seen in peacetime. This Dashboard highlights key facts and figures about the Statutory Instruments (SIs) being produced using these powers in the Coronavirus Act 2020 and other Acts of Parliament.

21 Jun 2021
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Briefings / The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill: four delegated powers that should be amended to improve future accountability to Parliament

The Bill seeks to crack down on ‘dirty money’ and corrupt elites in the UK and is being expedited through Parliament following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This briefing identifies four delegated powers in the Bill that should be amended to ensure future accountability to Parliament.

03 Mar 2022
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Articles / Brexit and Beyond: Delegated Legislation

The end of the transition period is likely to expose even more fully the scope of the policy-making that the government can carry out via Statutory Instruments, as it uses its new powers to develop post-Brexit law. However, there are few signs yet of a wish to reform delegated legislation scrutiny, on the part of government or the necessary coalition of MPs.

22 Jan 2021
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Blog / Reviewing Restoration and Renewal and planning for a post-pandemic Parliament

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Blog / Where is the Intelligence and Security Committee and why does its absence matter?

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Blog / An inter-parliamentary body for the UK Union?

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Blog

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07 Jan 2028
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06 Jan 2028
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Blog / Genetically modified organisms: Primary or delegated legislation?

A Statutory Instrument comes into force on 11 April that changes the legal requirements for the release of certain types of genetically modified plants. Some argue that the changes should have been made by primary, rather than delegated, legislation. Where does the boundary between the two lie?

08 Apr 2022
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Blog / What role does the UK Parliament play in sanctioning an individual? [Video]

Sanctions are imposed on an individual in two stages - by Ministers first making regulations and secondly designating the individual, using a power in those regulations. Parliament has a role in the first stage, but not the second.

15 Mar 2022
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Blog / Russia-Ukraine crisis: how are sanctions Regulations made and how does Parliament scrutinise them?

The UK's new Russia sanctions Regulations, being debated by the House of Commons on 22 February 2022 with one day's notice, highlight the use of delegated legislation to introduce sanctions regimes and the challenges posed for parliamentary scrutiny of urgent measures.

22 Feb 2022
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Blog / The care placement Regulations and the courts: too many holes in the net of parliamentary scrutiny?

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Blog / Back to the future? House of Commons scrutiny of EU affairs after Lord Frost's exit

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Blog / Living on a prayer (motion): How do parliamentarians debate 'made negative' Statutory Instruments?

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Blog / In it for the long haul: HGV driver shortage Statutory Instruments show scrutiny system shortcomings

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Publications

Guides / What is a Private Members' Bill?

Private Members' Bills (PMBs) are bills introduced by MPs and Peers who are not government ministers. They provide backbenchers with an opportunity to address public concerns and to set a policy agenda that is not determined by the executive. But the procedures, often a source of controversy, are different to those that apply for government bills.

03 May 2022
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Guides / Why are Private Members' Bills debated on a Friday?

Thirteen Friday sittings are set aside in the House of Commons each session for consideration of PMBs, signifying a commitment to provide some freedom from the normal constraint that 'Government business shall have precedence at every sitting' (Standing Order No.14(8)). Unless the House decides otherwise, these are the only Friday sittings held each session.

03 May 2022
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Guides / What is a Ten Minute Rule Bill?

Ten Minute Rule Bills are essentially policy aims put into legislative language in order to secure a 10-minute speaking slot during 'primetime' in the House of Commons Chamber after Question Time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (but not on Budget day).

03 May 2022
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Guides / What is a Ballot Bill?

At the start of a new parliamentary Session backbench MPs can enter the PMB ballot. The 20 MPs whose names are drawn may bring in a Bill of their choice. Ballot Bills have the best chance of becoming law because they have priority over other PMBs when time is allocated for debates.

03 May 2022
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Guides / What is a Presentation Bill?

Any MP is permitted under Standing Order No. 57 to introduce a bill of his or her choice, having given prior notice to the Public Bill Office. Presentation Bills are formally 'presented' during a Friday sitting, and only after all the Ballot Bills on the Order Paper have been presented.

03 May 2022
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Reports / Compendium of Legislative Standards for Delegating Powers in Primary Legislation

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Articles / Constitution and Governance in the UK: Parliament and Legislation

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Briefings / The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill: four delegated powers that should be amended to improve future accountability to Parliament

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Articles / Brexit ‘Freedoms’, Risks and Opportunities? Certainty and uncertainty in the revision of retained EU Law

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Events

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16 Nov 2021
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Events / House of Commons Speaker hustings 2019

On 15 October 2019, all nine original candidates to be the new Speaker of the House of Commons participated in a hustings event in Westminster, hosted jointly by the Hansard Society and The House magazine, and chaired by the BBC's Carolyn Quinn.

15 Oct 2019
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Events / Launch of 'Britain Votes 2017'

On 20 March, Professor Sir John Curtice and a panel of leading commentators outlined their findings at the launch of the first major study of the 2017 general election, 'Britain Votes 2017'.

20 Mar 2018
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Events / Deepening democracy: reconciling parliaments and people through public engagement

Join us for the launch of our new Global Research Network on Parliaments and People, with a keynote speech on 'Deepening Democracy' by Baroness Amos.

13 Nov 2017
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Events / Opening up the Usual Channels: next steps for reform of the House of Commons

In a speech to the Hansard Society on 11 October, the Rt Hon John Bercow MP proposed three key reforms for the House: the establishment of the House Business Committee approved in 2010; reform of Private Members' Bills; and the creation of a mechanism for Members to request a recall of the House.

11 Oct 2017
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