-
-
Research Briefing
The “Sewel Convention”
The Sewel Convention applies when the UK Parliament legislates on a matter which is devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
-
Research Briefing
The Constitutional Reform Act 2005- the role of the Lord Chancellor
This Note is designed to provide a short supplement to Standard Notes no 2105 and Research Papers 05/05 which described the provisions of, and background to, the Constitutional Reform Bill in relation to the Lord Chancellor until its second reading in the Commons. The Bill had a protracted initial passage through the Lords where a special committee had taken evidence on the Bill before eventual report stage and third reading. The scrutiny of the Bill in the Commons was truncated by the general election of 2005.
-
Research Briefing
Draft Bills 2001-2005
This standard note lists draft bills introduced in each session since the 2001 general election and gives the following details for each bill: (1) introduction as a draft; (2) any pre-legislative scrutiny at Westminster including government responses; (3) formal introduction of the final bill; and (4) date of royal assent.
-
Research Briefing
Drafting Legislation and the Parliamentary Counsel Office
The Parliamentary Counsel is a team of lawyers which drafts government bills before they are introduced into Parliament and works on other legal aspects of parliamentary business. This note describes the work of the Parliamentary Counsel Office, and its structure. It also briefly considers the implications of the growing use of pre-legislative scrutiny on the work of the Office.
-
-
Research Briefing
The New Code of Conduct for Members
The Standards and Privileges Committee have issued a new version of the Code of Conduct for Members and Guide to the Rules, following a review undertaken by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Sir Philip Mawer. This Note looks at previous Codes of Conduct and at the revisions.
-
Research Briefing
Pepper v Hart
Following the decision in Pepper v Hart in 1993, if primary legislation is ambiguous or obscure the courts may in certain circumstances take account of statements made in Parliament by Ministers or other promoters of a Bill in construing that legislation. Until that decision, using Hansard in that way would have been regarded as a breach of Parliamentary privilege.
-
Research Briefing
Modernisation of the House of Commons 1997 – 2005
Modernisation of the House of Commons 1997-2005. House of Commons Research paper 05/46.
-
-
Research Briefing
Modernisation: Sitting Hours
Following a number of experimental changes to the House of Commons' sitting hours, on 11 January 2005 the Modernisation Committee published a report which reviewed the experiments and outlined its recommendations for sitting hours. This Note looks at these recommendations and the Houses response to them.
-
Research Briefing
By-election results 2001-05
By-election results 2001-05. House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/34
-
Research Briefing
House of Lords Reform – recent developments
This note reviews developments in the debate on the reform of the House of Lords since the publication of the Government's consultation paper, Constitutional reform: next steps for the House of Lords.
-
Research Briefing
The Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill [HL] 2004-5
This note describes the background to this Bill which had its second reading on 16 December 2004.
-
Research Briefing
Constitutional Reform Bill (HL): a Supreme Court for the United Kingdom and judicial appointments (Bill 18 of 2004/05)
The Constitutional Reform Bill (HL) - a Supreme Court for the United Kingdom and judicial appointments (Bill 18 of 2004/05). House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/06.
Total results (page 62 of 65)