Pre-legislative scrutiny under the Conservative Governments of 2015-24
This briefing provides a summary of the development of pre-legislative scrutiny and the draft bills published during the 2015, 2017 and 2019 Parliaments.

A research briefing on the office and role of the Speaker of the House of Commons
The office and role of Speaker (2 MB , PDF)
The Speaker is one of the most important figures in the UK Parliamentary system. He or she presides over the House of Commons, maintaining order, administering House services and representing the Chamber to the House of Lords, the Crown and diplomatically.
Erskine May identifies three key roles and responsibilities associated with the Speaker:
The first record of (the English) Parliament electing one of its number to act as Speaker dates from 1376. The office holder’s initial function was to report the views of the House of Commons to the monarch. Presiding officers in the Scottish and Irish parliaments fulfilled similar roles. Over the centuries, the role became more independent of the Crown, less partisan and increasingly the choice of the Commons itself rather than the government of the day. To date, there have been 158 Commons Speakers.
This research briefing focuses on the office and role of the Speaker, examining its presiding, administrative and representative aspects in turn. Traditions associated with the office are also covered, as are some international comparisons.
The office and role of Speaker (2 MB , PDF)
This briefing provides a summary of the development of pre-legislative scrutiny and the draft bills published during the 2015, 2017 and 2019 Parliaments.
A bill briefing on the Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Bill 2024-25. This makes provision for Catholics to be eligible to hold the office of Lord High Commissioner, which is the King's representative at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK has applied sanctions and changed rules around visas and corporate transparency to counter Russian influence.