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Government response to the 7th report of session 2010-11 from the Select Committee on the Constitution (HL paper 58, ISBN 9780108472824)
The Committee regards it as a matter of principle that proposals for major constitutional reform should be subject to either pre-legislative scrutiny or to prior public consultation, and regrets that this Bill (HL Bill 26, ISBN 9780108478772) has not been subject to either process. It finds, in particular, that concerns over elements of Part 2 of the Bill concerning parliamentary constituencies have not been addressed properly by the Government.
A cross-party committee of MPs warns that the rushed timetable of one of the government's flagship bills could risk restoring the public's faith in Parliament while significantly limiting scrutiny of the bill's impact. The 3rd report from the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (HCP 437, ISBN 9780215554895) of the 2010-11 session says that for primarily political reasons, the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill links two provisions which could have been considered separately. Of particular concern to the committee is that if either House substantially amends the rules for holding the referendum on the alternative vote, the government may have to reconsider the date of the vote or run the risk of serious administrative difficulties which could undermine the outcome. The committee stresses that voters must understand what they are voting for and that recommendations by the Electoral Commission on the intelligibility of the referendum question should be implemented. The Committee also states that the government's failure to attempt to reach cross-party consensus on its boundary reform proposals adds fuel to the fire for those claiming the bill is being brought forward for partisan motives and may embolden future governments to do the same. The committee also questions why the public is not being offered a referendum on constituency boundary reform, which significantly affects how voters are represented in Parliament. Also, while the committee agrees that there may be a case for reducing the number of MPs, it says the Government has singularly failed to make it. The impact of boundary reforms on local politics appears to have been given little or no consideration and the committee expresses concern about the potential impact of the current proposals on the ability of MPs to fulfil their responsibilities to their constituents.
Government response to the Committee's third report, HC 437, session 2010-11 (ISBN 9780215554895)
Further Government response to HC 923, session 2010-12 (ISBN 9780215559586). Earlier response published as HC 1477, session 2010-12 (ISBN 9780215561473)
Government reply to the Committee's 6th report of session 2006-07 (HLP 151, ISBN 9780104011256)
Government response to the 8th report of session 2010-11 from the Select Committee on the Constitution (HL paper 69, ISBN 9780108472947)
Government response to HL 284-I/HC 1313-I session 2010-12 (ISBN 9780108475795)
The constitution is the foundation upon which law and government are built. Yet the United Kingdom has no agreed process for constitutional change. The Committee does not accept that the government should be able to pick and choose which processes to apply when proposing significant constitutional change. It therefore recommends in this report the adoption of a clear and consistent process. These recommendations are not intended to restrict the government's right to initiate constitutional change, but to hold ministers to account for their decisions. The Committee regard it as essential that, prior to the introduction of a bill which provides for significant constitutional change, the government considers the impact of the proposals upon the existing constitutional arrangements, subject the proposals to detailed scrutiny in the Cabinet and its committees, consult widely, publish green and white papers, and subject the bill to pre-legislative scrutiny.The Committee looks at these processes in this report, as well as considering the desirability of public engagement and building consensus. Also the importance of not rushing parliamentary scrutiny of legislation once introduced into Parliament and of conducting comprehensive post-legislative scrutiny of significant constitutional legislation once passed. Also recommended is the minister responsible for a significant constitutional bill in each House set out the processes to which a bill has been subjected in a written ministerial statement. This comprehensive package from which the government should depart only in exceptional circumstances and where there are clearly justifiable reasons for so doing. The Committee believes this approach is pragmatic and achievable, enabling the flexibility of the United Kingdom's current constitutional arrangements to be retained whilst enhancing and underpinning those arrangements
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill : Amendments to be moved in Committee