Research Briefing
This is a report on the Committee Stage of the Political Parties and Elections Bill 2007-08 produced in response to a recommendation of the Modernisation Committee in its report on The Legislative Process (HC 1097, 2005-06). The Bill has been reintroduced as Bill 4 of 2008-09 and is awaiting a date for report stage in the Commons.
Research Briefing
This note sets out the legal and historical background to the restrictions on royal marriages, and considers their application in the case of the marriage of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker Bowles.
Research Briefing
On 24 January 2008, Members agreed that the 1996 resolution governing their salaries should cease to exist. No mechanism to replace it was considered. Instead, the House agreed with the Government that Sir John Baker, the retiring chairman of the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), should be charged with finding a mechanism that would end the need for Members to vote regularly on their salaries.
Research Briefing
This Standard Note provides a brief history of the origins and role of the Government and Opposition Whips in the management of parliamentary business, and an overview of their current functions and duties.
Research Briefing
This Research Paper looks at the Political Parties and Elections Bill 2008-09, it includes impacts on the Electoral Commission and political donations and expenditure.
Research Briefing
This Note offers a summary of coronation procedures and sets out the statutory requirements for the Coronation Oath.
Research Briefing
On 3 July 2008, the House of Commons debated a series of motions based on reports from Sir John Baker on their pay, and from the Members Estimate Committee on their allowances, in two separate debates This note briefly sets out the background to the debates, and then reviews the decisions that the House took. The decision taken on Members' home addresses is also set out.
Research Briefing
This note discusses the procedure and history of deferred divisions.
Research Briefing
This Standard Note sets out the background to and effect of the Ministerial and other Salaries Order 2008, which was laid before both Houses of Parliament in draft on 2 June 2008.
Research Briefing
This note briefly reviews the background to Sir John Baker's review, outlines his conclusions and the Government's response to them. It does not consider the question of Members' allowances, which are currently being reviewed by the Members Estimate Committee.
Research Briefing
This note describes these developments and the background to them in more detail. It then describes earlier proposals for the timetabling of legislation. Finally, it reviews some recent comments on the programming of legislation.
Research Briefing
This note briefly reviews the reasons why a draft Queen's Speech was made, and some of the reaction to it. The Modernisation Committee has reviewed the process. It welcomed the publication of the draft legislative programme and supported the Leader of the House's plan to give the House, its committees and the public longer to consider the draft legislative programme. This note briefly reviews the Modernisation Committee's report. Finally, the Note reviews the background to the institution of the Queen's Speech.
Research Briefing
This Note considers proposals for the introduction of a 'Citizens' Initiative' process in the UK, where citizens would be able to petition for referendum questions to be placed on ballot papers of for legislation to be introduced in Parliament.
Research Briefing
This note covers the central-local concordat signed in December 2007 in fulfilment of a pledge in the Governance of Britain Green Paper.
Total results (page 54 of 61)