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Interpreting Parliamentary Scrutiny
Interpreting Parliamentary Scrutiny An enquiry concerning everyday practices of parliamentary actors in select committees of the House of Commons Marc Geddes A dissertation submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Politics Faculty of Social Sciences The University of Sheffield May 2016 Contents Abstract v Acknowledgements vi List of tables and figures viii Introduction 1 Part I: Theoretical Foundations Chapter 1: Traditions 9 Chapter 2: Theory 35 Chapter 3: Methodology 58 Part II: Interpreting Scrutiny Chapter 4: Members 81 Chapter 5: Chairs 111 Chapter 6: Staff 137 Part III: Scrutiny Landscapes Chapter 7: Relationships 165 Chapter 8: Evidence 194 Chapter 9: Conclusions 223 iii Notes Appendix A: List of select committees 245 Appendix B: Ethics agreement 247 Appendix C: House of Commons confidentiality agreement 249 Appendix D: Standard interview consent form 251 Appendix E: Interview themes and checklist 253 Appendix F: Summary statistics for committee members 255 Appendix G: Summary data for witnesses 257 Appendix H: Summary of witness database categories 259 Bibliography 261 iv Abstract This doctorate looks at the role of parliamentary select committees in the UK House of Commons. Though the literature on this topic is extensive, this research project explores the issue from a distinctive vantage point. While research on committees has predominantly focused on their outputs, such as committee reports, in order to assess the effectiveness of Parliament in holding the executive to account, this thesis looks at the input-side to committee work. It explores the individual beliefs, everyday practices and perennial dilemmas of parliamentary actors in select committees. In doing so, this thesis argues that understanding beliefs and practices of committee members, chairs and staff are crucial ways to better comprehend the way that scrutiny works in the House of Commons. -
'The Left's Views on Israel: from the Establishment of the Jewish State To
‘The Left’s Views on Israel: From the establishment of the Jewish state to the intifada’ Thesis submitted by June Edmunds for PhD examination at the London School of Economics and Political Science 1 UMI Number: U615796 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U615796 Published by ProQuest LLC 2014. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 F 7377 POLITI 58^S8i ABSTRACT The British left has confronted a dilemma in forming its attitude towards Israel in the postwar period. The establishment of the Jewish state seemed to force people on the left to choose between competing nationalisms - Israeli, Arab and later, Palestinian. Over time, a number of key developments sharpened the dilemma. My central focus is the evolution of thinking about Israel and the Middle East in the British Labour Party. I examine four critical periods: the creation of Israel in 1948; the Suez war in 1956; the Arab-Israeli war of 1967 and the 1980s, covering mainly the Israeli invasion of Lebanon but also the intifada. In each case, entrenched attitudes were called into question and longer-term shifts were triggered in the aftermath. -
Stewart2019.Pdf
Political Change and Scottish Nationalism in Dundee 1973-2012 Thomas A W Stewart PhD Thesis University of Edinburgh 2019 Abstract Prior to the 2014 independence referendum, the Scottish National Party’s strongest bastions of support were in rural areas. The sole exception was Dundee, where it has consistently enjoyed levels of support well ahead of the national average, first replacing the Conservatives as the city’s second party in the 1970s before overcoming Labour to become its leading force in the 2000s. Through this period it achieved Westminster representation between 1974 and 1987, and again since 2005, and had won both of its Scottish Parliamentary seats by 2007. This performance has been completely unmatched in any of the country’s other cities. Using a mixture of archival research, oral history interviews, the local press and memoires, this thesis seeks to explain the party’s record of success in Dundee. It will assess the extent to which the character of the city itself, its economy, demography, geography, history, and local media landscape, made Dundee especially prone to Nationalist politics. It will then address the more fundamental importance of the interaction of local political forces that were independent of the city’s nature through an examination of the ability of party machines, key individuals and political strategies to shape the city’s electoral landscape. The local SNP and its main rival throughout the period, the Labour Party, will be analysed in particular detail. The thesis will also take time to delve into the histories of the Conservatives, Liberals and Radical Left within the city and their influence on the fortunes of the SNP. -
Contemporary Perspectives and Engagements of Post-Crisis Social Movements Within the British Welfare State
Policy, protest and power: contemporary perspectives and engagements of post-crisis social movements within the British welfare state Gregory White PhD University of York Social Policy and Social Work March 2017 2 In memory of Mark Fisher (1968 – 2017) & Dedicated to the international anti-fascist movement 3 4 “Normally, when one challenges the conventional wisdom – that the current economic and political system is the only possible one – the first reaction you are likely to get is a demand for a detailed architectural blueprint of how an alternative system would work, down to the nature of its financial instruments, energy supplies, and policies of sewer maintenance. Next, one is likely to be asked for a detailed program of how this system will be brought into existence. Historically, this is ridiculous.” David Graeber “If, in fact, representational politics is only unreasonable, then it is to… moments of rational disruption, those events and occurrences that interrupt the everyday flow of a political discourse which thinks it’s being practical but is… incredibly unstable, that a true kind of [liberation] emerges.” Nina Power 5 6 Abstract Contemporary social policy in the UK is at a critical impasse: the ongoing government austerity programme has presented an unprecedented challenge to civil society organisations, trade unions and social movements as to questions of social justice and inequality. These challenges have manifested as: (1) tackling entrenched neoliberal narratives surrounding the welfare state; (2) organising and coordinating direct action and a (non-) institutional response. From the perspective of post-crisis social movements (such as Occupy London and UK Uncut), there has been a focus on non- institutional methods – often manifested in the form of direct action – to address social and economic injustices. -
Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
Monday Volume 587 10 November 2014 No. 59 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 10 November 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1161 10 NOVEMBER 2014 1162 delayed? An answer was expected in December, but it House of Commons has been delayed to January and then to the end of January. Will he tell us when he will make a decision? Monday 10 November 2014 Mr Pickles: As the hon. Gentleman knows, we do not call in many applications for consideration. Last year, The House met at half-past Two o’clock we called in only about eight. The one he has mentioned has some degree of complexity, and he will understand PRAYERS that I cannot comment about the individual application until all the facts are before me. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr Mark Prisk (Hertford and Stortford) (Con): I strongly support the Minister’s excellent work in devolving Mr Speaker: I remind the House that tomorrow, powers to our city regions. Will he assure us that our Tuesday 11 November, is Armistice day. At 11 o’clock counties and rural areas such as those in east Hertfordshire tomorrow, I regard it as appropriate that we, and staff will have the same opportunity for these new responsibilities? working for us, should join the nation in observing the two-minute silence so that we might remember those Mr Pickles: Such areas most certainly do have the who gave their lives for their country to help preserve same opportunity. -
Standards of Conduct in the House of Lords by the Committee on Standards in Public Life
ISBN 0-10-149032-1 9 780101 490320 Volume 1: Report Cm 4903-I 0101490321_Cover.pdf 1 5/6/09 09:47:52 0101490321_POD / Sig: 2 / Plate B iv iv 0101490321_POD / Sig: 2 / Plate B B Plate / 2 Sig: / 0101490321_POD 0101490321_POD / Sig: 1 / Plate A Cm 4903-I Cm November 2000 November by Command of Her Majesty Her of Command by Presented to Parliament by the Prime Minister Prime the by Parliament to Presented Seventh Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life Chairman: Lord Neill of Bladen QC Volume 1: Report 1: Volume Standards of Conduct in the House of Lords in the House of Lords of House the in Standards of Conduct of Standards Volume 1: Report Chairman: Lord Neill of Bladen QC Bladen of Neill Lord Chairman: Standards in Public Life Public in Standards Seventh Report of the Committee on Committee the of Report Seventh Presented to Parliament by the Prime Minister by Command of Her Majesty November 2000 Cm 4903-I 0101490321_POD / Sig: 1 / Plate A A Plate / 1 Sig: / 0101490321_POD 0101490321_POD / Sig: 1 / Plate B ii .uk Fax: 01603-723000 or e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: or 01603-723000 Fax: HMSO, The Copyright Unit, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ. NR3 Norwich Colegate, 2-16 House, Clements St Unit, Copyright The HMSO, Any enquiries relating to the copyright in this document should be addressed to addressed be should document this in copyright the to relating enquiries Any included when being reproduced as part of another publication or service. or publication another of part as reproduced being when included must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document must be must document the of title the and copyright Crown as acknowledged be must in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. -
Register of All-Party Groups
REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS (As at 13 June 2007) REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS PAGE 2 SECTION 1: COUNTRY GROUPS TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................................................................... 2 The Nature of All-Party Groups ..................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Form of the ‘Register of All-Party Groups’............................................... 2 Purpose and Form of the ‘Approved List’ of Groups..................................................... 2 Administration of the Register and Approved List......................................................... 4 Complaints about All-Party Groups................................................................................ 4 Section 1: Country Groups ...................................................................................................... 6 Section 2: Subject Groups.................................................................................................... 141 REGISTER OF ALL-PARTY GROUPS PAGE 3 SECTION 1: COUNTRY GROUPS INTRODUCTION The Nature of All-Party Groups All-party groups are regarded as relatively informal compared with other cross-party bodies such as select committees of the House. The membership of all-party groups mainly comprises backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians. Groups flourish and wane according to the interests and enthusiasm of Members. -
Appendix: “Ideology, Grandstanding, and Strategic Party Disloyalty in the British Parliament”
Appendix: \Ideology, Grandstanding, and Strategic Party Disloyalty in the British Parliament" August 8, 2017 Appendix Table of Contents • Appendix A: Wordscores Estimation of Ideology • Appendix B: MP Membership in Ideological Groups • Appendix C: Rebellion on Different Types of Divisions • Appendix D: Models of Rebellion on Government Sponsored Bills Only • Appendix E: Differences in Labour Party Rebellion Following Leadership Change • Appendix F: List of Party Switchers • Appendix G: Discussion of Empirical Model Appendix A: Wordscores Estimation of Ideology This Appendix describes our method for ideologically scaling British MPs using their speeches on the welfare state, which were originally produced for a separate study on welfare reform (O'Grady, 2017). We cover (i) data collection, (ii) estimation, (iii) raw results, and (iv) validity checks. The resulting scales turn out to be highly valid, and provide an excellent guide to MPs' ideologies using data that is completely separate to the voting data that forms the bulk of the evidence in our paper. A1: Collection of Speech Data Speeches come from an original collection of every speech made about issues related to welfare in the House of Commons from 1987-2007, covering the period over which the Labour party moved 1 to the center under Tony Blair, adopted and enacted policies of welfare reform, and won office at the expense of the Conservatives. Restricting the speeches to a single issue area is useful for estimating ideologies because with multiple topics there is a danger of conflating genuine extremism (a tendency to speak in extreme ways) with a tendency or requirement to talk a lot about topics that are relatively extreme to begin with (Lauderdale and Herzog, 2016). -
Visiting Parliamentary Fellowship Celebrating 25 Years 1994-2019
VISITING PARLIAMENTARY FELLOWSHIP CELEBRATING 25 YEARS 1994-2019 St Antony's College 1 Roger Goodman, Warden of St Antony’s At a recent breakfast with the students, it was decided that the College should do more to advertise what distinguished it from other colleges in Oxford. St Antony’s is: The Oxford college founded by a Frenchman The Oxford college with two Patron Saints (St Antony of Egypt and St Antony of Padua) The Oxford college where almost 90% of the 500 graduate students are from outside UK and the alumni come from 129 countries The Oxford college with international influence: ‘In the mid-2000s, 5% of the world’s foreign ministers had studied at St Antony’s’ (Nick Cohen, The Guardian, 8 Nov, 2015) The Oxford college mentioned in the novels of both John Le Carré and Robert Harris The Oxford college which holds the most weekly academic seminars and workshops The Oxford college with two award-winning new buildings in the past decade To this list can be added: St Antony’s is the Oxford college with a Visiting Parliamentary Fellowship (VPF). There is no other Oxford college that can boast such a list of parliamentarians responsible for a seminar programme over such a long period of time. The College is immensely proud of the Fellowship and greatly indebted to all those who have held it over the past 25 years. We were very grateful to those who have were able to come to the 25th anniversary celebration of the Fellowship programme at the House of Commons on 24 April 2019 and for the many generous letters from those who could not. -
May 2010 May 2010
national museum directors’ council May 2010 In this month's edition: • Election manifestos promise changes for national museums • Orphan works left out of Digital Economy Act • Over 260 venues participating in Museums at Night 2010 • Collecting survey highlights rise in object loans and joint acquisitions • Directors invited to nominate leading cultural philanthropists • Learning news - Local cultural offer for all children and call for learning outside the classroom entitlement • The Museum of London Docklands introduces free admission Section headings: NMDC NEWS International activity project NMDC has embarked on a new project looking at the international work of its members. UK museums are involved in a huge range of projects and partnerships with organisations all over the world. International activity includes: • International loans and touring exhibitions • Partnership working to share skills and expertise and to run joint research and conservation projects • Contributing to cultural diplomacy - building relationships with organisations in countries where formal government relations are difficult. • Involvement in international showcase events such as expos and biennales • Providing commercial consultancy services. NMDC is undertaking a survey of its members’ international work, to understand the current spread and types of international activity as well as different approaches to working internationally. The project findings will allow us to open a dialogue with Government departments beyond DCMS, to discuss the value of museums’ international work and how ministers and policy makers can most helpfully support museums’ international activity. The project also aims to help NMDC members to learn from each other and explore potential for collaboration on international projects, and to promote best practice across the museum sector by highlighting excellent and innovative projects. -
The Worshipful Company of Actuaries Annual Review 2009
THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF ACTUARIES ANNUAL REVIEW 2009 – 2010 Capital Cranfield Trustees are pleased to support the Worshipful Company of Actuaries “Independent Trustee of the Year” UK Pensions Awards, 2007 and 2008 Contents Page Court 2009 - 2010 2 Master’s Report 3 The Charitable Trust 6 Report from the Chairman of Trustees 6 Past Master goes up the wall 7 Liverymen encouraged to become school governors 8 Charitable Trust funds laptops for disadvantaged students 8 Royal Society 350th Anniversary Convocation 8 Life, death and money 9 Events 11 Installation Diner 11 Autumn Livery Dinner 12 The Lord Mayor’s Show 12 Visit to Big Ben and curry tiffin at the Cinnamon Club 13 Carol Service at St Bartholomew the Great 14 Common Hall and Livery Dinner 14 Livery Lecture - Hanging Hooke 16 Pancake Race 17 28th Annual Inter-Livery Bridge Competition 17 Livery Dinner, Cape Town 17 Inter-Livery Swimathon 18 10-Pin Bowling 18 Livery Lunch, Liverpool 19 Court Lunch 19 Golf Outing, Royal Troon 19 Providence Row City Quiz Night 20 Mansion House Banquet 21 Royalist Regatta 24 Prince Arthur of Connaught Golf Competition 24 Master’s Golf Day 25 Trip to Oberammergau 25 Clerk’s Dinner 27 News from the Court 28 Obituaries 31 Membership of the Company 35 Court and Committees 2010-2011 36 Diary 2011 37 1 THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF ACTUARIES 2009 – 2010 SENIOR WARDEN MASTER JUNIOR WARDEN Graham Clay Adrian Waddingham John Lockyer COURT ASSISTANTS Ken Ayers, Andrew Benke, Charles Cowling, Nick Dumbreck, Alan Frost, Jeremy Goford, Richard Hawkes, Chris Ide, Philip -
MS 254 A980 Women's Campaign for Soviet Jewry 1
1 MS 254 A980 Women’s Campaign for Soviet Jewry 1 Administrative papers Parliamentary Correspondence Correspondence with Members of Parliament 1/1/1 Members of Parliament correspondence regarding support for the 1978-95 efforts of the Women’s Campaign for Soviet Jewry and brief profiles and contact details for individual Members of Parliament; Diane Abbot, Robert Adley, Jonathan Aitken, Richard Alexander, Michael Alison, Graham Allen, David Alton, David Amess, Donald Anderson, Hilary Armstrong, Jacques Arnold, Tom Arnold, David Ashby, Paddy Ashdown, Joe Ashton, Jack Aspinwall, Robert Atkins, and David Atkinson 1/1/2 Members of Parliament correspondence regarding support for the 1974-93 efforts of the Women’s Campaign for Soviet Jewry and brief profiles and contact details for individual Members of Parliament; Kenneth Baker, Nicholas Baker, Tony Baldry, Robert Banks, Tony Banks, Kevin Barron, Spencer Batiste and J. D. Battle 1/1/3 Members of Parliament correspondence regarding support for the 1974-93 efforts of the Women’s Campaign for Soviet Jewry and brief profiles and contact details for individual Members of Parliament; Margaret Beckett, Roy Beggs, Alan James Beith, Stuart Bell, Henry Bellingham, Vivian Bendall, Tony Benn, Andrew F. Bennett, Gerald Bermingham, John Biffen, John Blackburn, Anthony Blair, David Blunkett, Paul Boateng, Richard Body, Hartley Booth, Nichol Bonsor, Betty Boothroyd, Tim Boswell and Peter Bottomley 1/1/4 Members of Parliament correspondence regarding support for the 1975-94 efforts of the Women’s Campaign