DOCSLIB.ORG

House of Lords Official Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
House of Lords Official Report Vol. 736 Thursday No. 282 15 March 2012 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) HOUSE OF LORDS OFFICIAL REPORT ORDER OF BUSINESS Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Motion for an Humble Address Questions Freedom of Information Act 2000 Railways: Level Crossings Education: Engineering Disabled People: Employment Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Bill First Reading House of Lords: Peers’ Car Park Motion to Resolve Scotland Bill Committee (4th Day) Written Statements Written Answers For column numbers see back page £3·50 Lords wishing to be supplied with these Daily Reports should give notice to this effect to the Printed Paper Office. The bound volumes also will be sent to those Peers who similarly notify their wish to receive them. No proofs of Daily Reports are provided. Corrections for the bound volume which Lords wish to suggest to the report of their speeches should be clearly indicated in a copy of the Daily Report, which, with the column numbers concerned shown on the front cover, should be sent to the Editor of Debates, House of Lords, within 14 days of the date of the Daily Report. This issue of the Official Report is also available on the Internet at www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201212/ldhansrd/index/120315.html PRICES AND SUBSCRIPTION RATES DAILY PARTS Single copies: Commons, £5; Lords £3·50 Annual subscriptions: Commons, £865; Lords £525 WEEKLY HANSARD Single copies: Commons, £12; Lords £6 Annual subscriptions: Commons, £440; Lords £255 Index: Annual subscriptions: Commons, £125; Lords, £65. LORDS VOLUME INDEX obtainable on standing order only. Details available on request. BOUND VOLUMES OF DEBATES are issued periodically during the session. Single copies: Commons, £105; Lords, £40. Standing orders will be accepted. THE INDEX to each Bound Volume of House of Commons Debates is published separately at £9·00 and can be supplied to standing order. All prices are inclusive of postage. © Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2012, this publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU; email: [email protected] 377 The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee[15 MARCH 2012] The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 378 throughout her reign—17 times, in fact. We should House of Lords remember that the Troubles directly touched her family. More happily, she has now paid a welcome and deeply Thursday, 15 March 2012. significant state visit to the Republic of Ireland. The heart of the Queen’s role as head of state is her 11 am role in Parliament. It is the monarch who provides the daily authority for our sittings. Without the Mace on Prayers—read by the Lord Bishop of Newcastle. the Woolsack, we would not be the House of Lords but a collection of individuals. It is why we bow to the Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Cloth of Estate behind the Throne and to the Mace as Jubilee it passes us in procession. Motion for an Humble Address When the Queen is present in person, we have no need of the Mace. Next Tuesday, as the Queen arrives 11.06 am in Westminster Hall, a cloth will gracefully be pulled over the silver gilt of the Mace. Last week, the Queen Moved by Lord Strathclyde gave Royal Assent to half a dozen Acts of Parliament— yes, a ceremonial formality, but a public assurance That an humble Address be presented to Her of due process and authority. In a few weeks’ time, Majesty to congratulate Her Majesty on the occasion the Queen will sit on the Throne in this Parliament of the Sixtieth Anniversary of Her Accession to the Chamber and announce the Government’s new Throne. programme of legislation for the 58th time. If anyone has cause to complain about the relentless tide of The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord legislation, it is she. Strathclyde): My Lords, I beg to move than an humble The scene at State Opening will be readily identifiable, Address be presented to Her Majesty the Queen, to with the Tudor depiction of the same ceremony embossed congratulate Her Majesty on the 60th anniversary of on one of our Christmas cards last year. That is part her accession to the throne, and that the Address be of the point. The Queen provides the nation with a presented by the whole House on Tuesday 20 March reassuring symbol of continuity and stability that in Westminster Hall. many of us value. Political parties and financial markets This is a formal occasion for paying tribute to our go up and down; fashions and celebrity wax and wane; head of state, but what I know will be evident in our but the crowds for royal weddings over the decades national celebrations is the respect and admiration for and the centuries have been constant. the Queen personally felt by so many in this nation. One of the Queen’s greatest qualities is that she has She is not simply owed our respect as head of state, appeared unchanging while changing very much indeed. but she inspires our respect as an individual. The Queen has quite simply kept in touch with our The Queen fulfils her role as head of state with national life throughout her reign. The United Kingdom grace and with firmness of purpose. At the core of in 2012 is a world apart from that of 1952, let alone that role is her enduring right to be consulted, to the imperial court in which Her Majesty was raised. It advise and to warn the Government, whether that is an achievement of some skill that the Queen remains Government is led by her first Prime Minister, Winston quite so relevant to our national life and in touch with Churchill, or David Cameron, now her 12th Prime her subjects. Those of us, and there are a few of us in Minister. this House, who are privileged enough to have been The Queen has been careful to stand above politics Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster know from at every turn. We take it for granted that we have no our personal experience the keen interest that the idea what our head of state personally thinks of any of Queen takes in hearing in detail about the Duchy’s the measures in the Queen’s Speech. Her discretion affairs, and the pleasure that she gets from it. and impartiality when dealing with the Government The Queen is not simply owed our respect as head are impeccable, and we should pay tribute to it. of state; she inspires it as an individual. It is a privilege The Queen is the fount of authority in this realm. to lead these tributes today, and I am confident that She is the head of the Armed Forces, the judiciary, the they mark the start of a deservedly happy jubilee. I Civil Service, the supreme governor of the Church of know that the Lord Speaker will speak eloquently on England. It is she, as monarch and an individual, who our behalf next Tuesday. I beg to move this Motion holds our state together. As well as that assurance of for an humble Address. political independence and neutrality, the Queen provides each of those institutions with a valuable focus for 11.12 am loyalty which endures well beyond the reach of any Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: My Lords, it is an election campaign. That focus for loyalty has been enormous privilege for me from the Benches of Her especially valuable for the Armed Forces in recent Majesty’s Loyal Opposition in your Lordships’ House years, as they have seen more active service than in to support the Motion and add our congratulations to previous decades. those already offered to Her Majesty the Queen on the The same is true of the union itself. The Queen has occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, the 60th anniversary been rightly careful not to be an English Queen. of her accession to the Throne. The Leader of the Indeed, dare I presume that if the Queen were to have House has concentrated on the Queen’s role as head of a favourite place, the highlands might be that place? state, her constitutional role and her role in Parliament, The Queen has regularly visited Northern Ireland and I concur, of course, with all that he has said. 379 The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee[LORDS] The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 380 [BARONESS ROYALL OF BLAISDON] however, apart from the Queen, everyone else in that All those things are central to the monarchy, but front row had died in the intervening years—a testament equally central is Britain’s relationship with its monarchy both to our frailty and to the strength of the Queen. and in particular with its Queen. Twenty years ago this The public’s view of the Queen is clear: the longer year, the Queen had what she herself termed her she reigns the better. The Queen is already the United “annus horribilis”. Twenty years on from that low Kingdom’s second longest serving monarch and we point, her standing with the people of this country look forward to September 2015 when she will, we all could not be higher. hope, outdistance even Queen Victoria. Jubilees such Republics and republicanism are now dominant as we are about to see this year are a big punctuation around the world, but not here in Britain. Polls show mark in our national life. They give the country the that three-quarters of the British people support the opportunity to pause and to reflect and they tend to monarch.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Parliamentary Conventions
    REPORT Parliamentary Conventions Jacqy Sharpe About the Author Jacqy Sharpe is a former Clerk in the House of Commons. Her period as Clerk of the Journals provided her with significant insight into the historical and contemporary context of parliamentary conventions and procedure. Message from the Author With thanks to Dr Andrew Blick, Sir David Beamish, Helen Irwin and Sir Malcolm Jack for their comments on drafts of this paper. The conclusions, and any errors or omissions, are, of course, the responsibility of the author. Parliamentary Conventions Executive Summary “General agreement or consent, as embodied in any accepted usage, standard, etc”1 “Rules of constitutional practice that are regarded as binding in operation, but not in law”2 “[B]inding rules of behaviour accepted by those at whom they are directed. A practice that is not invariable does not qualify.”3 A list of various conventions with a note on how, if at all, they, or the approaches to them, have lately been modified or changed: CONVENTION CURRENT POSITION Conventions relating to behaviour in the House of Commons Speaking in the House of Commons Members should address the House through the Chair Although both questioned and frequently breached, and refer to other Members in the third person, by the convention is generally accepted constituency or position. Except for opening speeches, maiden speeches and Accepted and generally observed where there is special reason for precision, Members should not read speeches, though they may refer to notes Attendance at debates Members
    [Show full text]
  • The House's Power to Call for Papers
    House of Commons Procedure Committee The House’s power to call for papers: procedure and practice Ninth Report of Session 2017–19 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 15 May 2019 HC 1904 Published on 20 May 2019 by authority of the House of Commons Procedure Committee The Procedure Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to consider the practice and procedure of the House in the conduct of public business, and to make recommendations. Current membership Mr Charles Walker MP (Conservative, Broxbourne) (Chair) Bob Blackman MP (Conservative, Harrow East) Mr Peter Bone MP (Conservative, Wellingborough) Bambos Charalambous MP (Labour, Enfield, Southgate) Sir Christopher Chope MP (Conservative, Christchurch) Nic Dakin MP (Labour, Scunthorpe) Chris Elmore MP (Labour, Ogmore) Sir David Evennett MP (Conservative, Bexleyheath and Crayford) Helen Goodman MP (Labour, Bishop Auckland) Mr Ranil Jayawardena MP (Conservative, North East Hampshire) Sir Edward Leigh MP (Conservative, Gainsborough) David Linden MP (Scottish National Party, Glasgow East) Melanie Onn MP (Labour, Great Grimsby) Nick Smith MP (Labour, Blaenau Gwent) Gareth Snell MP (Labour (Co-op)) Alison Thewliss MP (Scottish National Party, Glasgow Central) Mr William Wragg MP (Conservative, Hazel Grove) Powers The powers of the Committee are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No. 147. These are available on the internet via www.parliament.uk. Publication Committee reports are published on the Committee’s website at www.parliament.uk/proccom and in print by Order of the House. Evidence relating to this report is published on the inquiry publications page of the Committee’s website.
    [Show full text]
  • Votes and Proceedings for 9 Sep 2019
    No. 341 Monday 9 September 2019 Votes and Proceedings Corrected consequent to the Speaker’s Statement of 25 September 2019 The House met at 2.30 pm. Prayers 1 Questions to the Secretary of State for Education 2 Speaker's Statement: Intention to stand down as Speaker 3 Royal Assent The Speaker reported that the Queen had signified Royal Assent to the following Acts under the Royal Assent Act 1967: Kew Gardens (Leases) Act 2019 European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 4 Applications for emergency debate (Standing Order No. 24) (1) Mr Dominic Grieve proposed that the House should debate the matter of prorogation with imminence of an exit from the European Union and that an humble Address should accordingly be presented to Her Majesty. The Speaker put the application to the House. Leave was refused by the House, but the assent of not fewer than 40 Members standing in support was obtained. Debate to be held as the first item of business today for a maximum of two hours. (2) Jeremy Corbyn proposed that the House should debate the matter of the welcome completion of all Parliamentary stages of the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill and the matter of the importance of the rule of law and Ministers' obligation to comply with the law. The Speaker put the application to the House. Leave given. Debate to be held as the second item of business today for a maximum of ninety minutes. 2 Votes and Proceedings: 9 September 2019 No. 341 5 Emergency Debate (No. 1) (Standing Order No.
    [Show full text]
  • Parliament and Brexit
    and Brexit Foreword The Brexit process revealed many things. Not least, it taught us a lot about Parliament’s somewhat contested place in our system of government. Throughout the Article 50 period the House of Commons in particular wielded significant influence over a minority government – so much so that Theresa May was moved to criticise Parliament in a live address to the British people. So what have we learned? And where does Parliament go from here? This report draws on the expertise of some of the leading scholars in the field. They’ve been asked to explore the role that Parliament has played to date on Brexit, as well as the challenges and opportunities that Parliament is likely to face during phase two of the UK-EU negotiations. I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to Tim Bale, Adam Cygan and Meg Russell (very ably assisted by Lisa James) for pulling this report together. It is they who have marshalled the various contributors and ensured that what follows is of the highest possible standard. I’d also like to thank the contributors for responding enthusiastically and efficiently to comments, suggestions and edits. Finally, thanks also go to Navjyot Lehl, who has coordinated the whole process and managed the design of the report with her customary professionalism and good humour. The report that follows makes an important and original contribution on an extremely important topic. I hope you find it both interesting and enlightening. Professor Anand Menon, Director, The UK in a Changing Europe Printed March 2020 The UK in a Changing Europe is an impartial and independent organisation created to make the findings of academic research easily available to the widest possible audience.
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit Timeline
    BREXIT TIMELINE BREXIT TIMELINE 1 BREXIT TIMELINE 6 December 2005 David Cameron becomes Conservative leader David Cameron wins the leadership of the Conservative Party. In the campaign, he promises to take the party out of the European People’s Party (EPP) grouping in the European Parliament 1 October 2006 Cameron first conference speech In his first conference speech, David Cameron implores his party to stop ‘banging on about Europe’ 4 June 2009 European Parliament elections The 2009 European Parliament elections see the UK Independence Party (UKIP) finished second in a major election for the first time in its history. 22 June 2009 Conservative Party form new grouping Conservative MEPs form part of a new group in the European Conservatives and Reformists group (ECR), as the party formally leaves the EPP. 20 May 2010 Coalition agrees to status quo on Europe The Coalition Agreement is published, which states that ‘Britain should play a leading role in an enlarged European Union, but that no further powers should be transferred to Brussels without a referendum.’ 5 May 2011 Alternative Vote referendum The UK holds a referendum on electoral reform and a move to the Alternative Vote. The No to AV campaign – led by many figures who would go on to be part of Vote Leave – wins decisively by a margin of 68% to 32%. 9 December 2011 David Cameron vetoes The Prime Minister vetoes treaty change designed to help manage the Eurozone crisis, arguing it is not in the UK’s interest – particularly in restrictions the changes might place on financial services. 23 January 2013 The Bloomberg Speech In a speech at Bloomberg’s offices in central London, David Cameron sets out his views on the future of the EU and the need for reform and a new UK-EU settlement.
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit: Status and Outlook
    Brexit: Status and Outlook Derek E. Mix, Coordinator Analyst in European Affairs Shayerah Ilias Akhtar Specialist in International Trade and Finance Kristin Archick Specialist in European Affairs October 4, 2019 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov R45944 SUMMARY R45944 Brexit: Status and Outlook October 4, 2019 After the 2016 referendum in which 52% of voters in the United Kingdom (UK) favored leaving the European Union (EU), Brexit was originally scheduled to occur on March 29, 2019. In early Derek E. Mix, Coordinator 2019, however, Parliament repeatedly rejected the withdrawal agreement negotiated between Analyst in European Affairs Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and the EU without supporting any alternative. In [email protected] April 2019, the EU granted the UK an extension until October 31, 2019. Shayerah Ilias Akhtar Specialist in International Recent Developments and Possible Scenarios Trade and Finance After becoming Prime Minister in July 2019, Boris Johnson asserted that Brexit will take place [email protected] on October 31 and that he will not request another extension. Johnson declared his intention to Kristin Archick renegotiate a new agreement with the EU that drops the Northern Ireland backstop provision, Specialist in European which would keep the UK in the EU customs union until the two sides agreed on their future Affairs trade relationship. The backstop provision was included in the rejected withdrawal agreement as [email protected] an insurance policy to maintain an open border between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (an EU member state) while safeguarding the rules of the EU single For a copy of the full report, market.
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit: Status and Outlook
    Brexit: Status and Outlook Updated February 13, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R45944 SUMMARY R45944 Brexit: Status and Outlook February 13, 2020 The United Kingdom (UK) formally withdrew from membership in the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020. Under the withdrawal agreement negotiated by the two sides, the UK is to Derek E. Mix, Coordinator continue applying EU rules during a transition period scheduled to run through the end of 2020. Analyst in European Affairs During the transition period, the UK and the EU are expected to begin negotiating the terms of their future relationship, including trade and economic relations as well as cooperation on foreign policy, security, and a range of other issues. Shayerah Ilias Akhtar Specialist in International Trade and Finance Overview of Developments After the 2016 referendum in which 52% of voters in the UK favored leaving the EU, Brexit was Kristin Archick originally scheduled to occur in March 2019. In early 2019, Parliament repeatedly rejected the Specialist in European withdrawal agreement negotiated between then-Prime Minister Theresa May’s government and Affairs the EU. Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, following May’s resignation. Given continued deadlock over Brexit in the UK, the EU granted the UK a series of extensions. In October 2019, EU and UK negotiators reached a new withdrawal agreement altering the Northern Ireland backstop provision, which was a main sticking point to Parliament passing the original deal. Under the new deal, Northern Ireland (part of the UK) is to maintain regulatory alignment with the EU (essentially creating a customs border in the Irish Sea) to preserve an open border with the Republic of Ireland (an EU member state) while safeguarding the rules of the EU single market.
    [Show full text]
  • UK Sovereign Outlook Tested by Heightened Brexit Uncertainty
    27 August 201UK8 Sovereign Outlook Tested by Heightened BrexitPublic Finance Uncertainty UK Sovereign Outlook Tested by Heightened Brexit Uncertainty In Scope’s view, the most likely long-run end-state is a soft Brexit (Scope’s baseline). Next to this, the second probable is a no-Brexit ‘Breversal’, rather than Analysts hard Brexit (the latter defined as the UK exiting the single market and customs union). In the near term, Scope considers a transitional ‘Brexit-in-name-only’ or an Dennis Shen Article 50 extension as the most probable outcome by 29 March 2019. However, the +49 69 6677389-68 elusiveness of a Brexit ‘deal’ and downside risks of a no-deal Brexit in part inform [email protected] Scope Ratings’ Negative Outlook on the UK’s AA sovereign rating. Dr Giacomo Barisone As well as the significant economic, financial, political and institutional consequences of +49 69 6677389-22 any crystallisation of the no-deal form of hard Brexit, there is meaningful pressure from [email protected] parliament, the devolved administrations, the EU, UK civil society and business for an approach that avoids the destabilisation of such a ‘cliff-edge’ exit. Media André Fischer One factor diminishing the probability of a no-deal Brexit is the asymmetric economic +49 30 27891 147 impact this would have on the UK itself. Next, even stepped up preparations for no deal [email protected] are far from adequate given the significant consequences in this scenario. Instead, in Scope’s view, in the near term, the most likely transitional outcomes by 29 Related Research March 2019 are either i) a ‘Brexit-in-name-only’ with an agreement (and entry into a near- Scope affirms the United identical transition period in which true negotiations on the future relationship would Kingdom’s credit rating at AA; begin) or ii) an extension of Article 50 (and the UK’s status inside the EU).
    [Show full text]
  • Brexit and Delegated Legislation Table of Contents 1.What Is Delegated Summary Legislation? 2
    Library Briefing Brexit and Delegated Legislation Table of Contents 1.What is Delegated Summary Legislation? 2. Parliamentary Scrutiny Delegated legislation is law made by ministers under powers given to them by of Delegated Legislation Acts of Parliament. Reasons for the use of delegated, rather than primary 3.Delegated Legislation legislation, may include: and Brexit: Impacts • providing for the technical implementation of a policy; • filling in detail that may need to be updated frequently or is otherwise subject to change; and • accommodating cases where the detailed policy has to work in different circumstances. This briefing provides an overview of how scrutiny of delegated legislation takes place in both Houses and considers the impact of Brexit on it. Individual pieces of delegated legislation are often called secondary legislation to distinguish them from primary legislation contained in Acts of Parliament. Statutory instruments (SIs) are the most frequently used type of delegated legislation. Parliamentary scrutiny of secondary legislation most commonly takes the form of negative or affirmative procedures. Brexit has posed legislative challenges. Several parliamentary committees have expressed concern that the volume and scope of secondary legislation necessary to implement the UK’s withdrawal from the EU would be substantial. Initial government estimates were that between 800 and 1,000 statutory instruments would be required, although this number has been revised down to approximately 600 SIs. Amendments were agreed during the passage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill to introduce a sifting function in both the Lords and the Commons. This applies to SIs made under certain sections of the act that the has Government proposed should be subject to the negative procedure; each committee (European Statutory Instruments Committee in the Commons, the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee in the Lords) can recommend that the SI would instead be more appropriately subject to the affirmative procedure.
    [Show full text]
  • “I'd Rather Be Dead in a Ditch”
    “I’d Rather Be Dead in a Ditch” By Professor Alex de Ruyter, Director, Centre for Brexit Studies Amidst extraordinary scenes yesterday, as John Bercow announced the date for his resignation as Speaker of the House of Commons, Boris Johnson suffered his sixth parliamentary defeat in six days. Two “humble addresses” were approved by Bercow last night requiring the Government to publish full details for MPs of Operation Yellowhammer – the Government’s “No Deal” preparations; and b) publish all correspondences relating to the suspending (“proroguing”) of Parliament. Dominic Grieve, as the originator of the second humble address had sought to expose the Government’s reasons for proroguing Parliament and the role of “Special Advisors” – namely Boris Johnson’s Chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, in this process. The accusation on the Government here of course is that in contrast to Johnson’s stated purpose of wanting to introduce a new legislative programme, proroguing has solely been done to stifle Parliamentary opposition to a No Deal Brexit. In all this drama, John Bercow as Speaker, has had a key role in interpreting parliamentary “conventions”, which are a key feature of our so-called “unwritten constitution”. Simply put our “constitution” grants that they who command a majority in the House of Commons gain the Monarch’s assent. It is this maxim that made it perfectly (legally) possible for Johnson as PM to gain the Queen’s assent to prorogue Parliament. Moreover, the Government proposes laws and Parliament votes on them, and Government generally determine the order of legislation to be put to Parliament (the so-called “Parliamentary Timetable”).
    [Show full text]
  • Taking Back Control: Why the House of Commons Should Govern
    DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE TAKING BACK CONTROL WHY THE HOUSE OF COMMONS SHOULD GOVERN ITS OWN TIME MEG RUSSELL AND DANIEL GOVER TAKING BACK CONTROL WHY THE HOUSE OF COMMONS SHOULD GOVERN ITS OWN TIME Meg Russell and Daniel Gover The Constitution Unit University College London January 2021 ISBN: 978-1-903903-90-2 Published by: The Constitution Unit School of Public Policy University College London 29-31 Tavistock Square London WC1H 9QU Tel: 020 7679 4977 Email: [email protected] Web: www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit ©The Constitution Unit, UCL 2021 This report is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. First Published January 2021 Front cover image by Vladimir Wrangel, cropped by the Constitution Unit. Contents List of boxes and tables ................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................... 3 Foreword by Sir David Natzler ....................................................................................................................... 4 Executive summary ........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Parliamentary Monitor 2019: Snapshot
    Parliamentary Monitor 2019: Snapshot Image area Image to come to top of picture box Joe Marshall | Alice Lilly | Maddy Thimont Jack | Hannah White About this report In September 2018, the Institute for Government launched Parliamentary Monitor, an annual data- driven analysis of Parliament’s activity. As we look ahead to the next full edition – to be published when the current parliamentary session ends – this ‘snapshot’ report draws on currently available data to highlight some of the most interesting aspects of Parliament’s work during the current session to date. Find out more: www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ parliamentary-monitor @instituteforgov September 2019 Contents List of figures 4 Overview: key themes at the close of the 2017–19 session 5 1. Time 8 2. Cost 10 3. Primary legislation 12 4. Secondary legislation 15 5. Select committees 18 6. Backbench procedures 20 7. Public engagement 22 8. Conclusion 24 Abbreviations 27 References 29 3 List of figures Figure 1 Parliamentary sitting days per session 2007–08 to 2017–19 5 Figure 2 Estimated proportion of time in the House of Commons chamber spent on Brexit, 2017–19 session 6 Figure 3 Distribution of opposition days across the 2010–12 and 2017–19 parliamentary sessions 9 Figure 4 Spending by IPSA on security assistance for MPs, 2010/11 to 2017/18 (financial years) 10 Figure 5 Government bills introduced during the 2017–19 session 12 Figure 6 Statutory instruments laid by department (21 June 2017 to 13 June 2019) 16 Figure 7 Divisions in the ExEU Select Committee during the 2017–19 session 19 Figure 8 Non-Brexit and Brexit urgent questions per session (2007–08 to 2017–19) 20 Figure 9 Parliamentlive.tv viewers by type of parliamentary activity, annotated with selected parliamentary events (June 2017 to July 2019) 22 Figure 10 Composition of the House of Commons, 28 August 2019 25 4 PARLIAMENTARY MONITOR: SNAPSHOT Overview: key themes at the close of the 2017–19 session In September 2018, the Institute for Government launched Parliamentary Monitor, an annual data-driven analysis of Parliament’s activity.
    [Show full text]