Future Parliament: Hacking the Legislative Process // Capacity, Scrutiny, Engagement

Events

Future Parliament: Hacking the Legislative Process // Capacity, Scrutiny, Engagement

14 Nov 2016

From finance to healthcare, technology has transformed the way we live, work and play, with innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Can it also have a role in how we make our laws?

Watch in full

Panel one

Panel two

Speakers

Emma AllenDirector of Digital Development, Parliamentary Digital Service and former Head of Web Development, The National Archives.

Victoria BoelmanPrincipal Researcher in Government Innovation, Nesta and former Head of Research,The Young Foundation.

Stella Creasy MPLabour & Co-op MP for Walthamstow, Member of the Science and Technology Select Committee.

Dr Ruth FoxDirector and Head of Research, Hansard Society.

Elizabeth LinderFounder and CEO of The Conversational Century and former Government and Politics Specialist, Facebook.

Liam Laurence SmythClerk of Legislation, House of Commons and former Acting Director, Chamber Business, House of Commons.

Rebecca RumbulHead of Research, mySociety, and awarded best paper at the 2016 Conference for eDemocracy and Open Government.

Bill ThompsonPartnership Lead, Make it Digital, BBC and freelance journalist, commentator and technology critic.

Paul WallandInnovation Director at IT Innovation Centre, University of Southampton.

About the event

The proposed refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster after 2020 presents a rare one in 150 year opportunity for reform of the principal institution of our democracy.

With MPs and Peers due to move out of the Palace into alternative locations in the Westminster area for a few years, could these temporary new Houses be turned into parliamentary laboratories to trial and test new digital technology to support the legislative and scrutiny process?

Recent innovations, for example in relation to data science and social media analysis, potentially offer new opportunities for Parliament to engage with the public, collect and analyse greater amounts of data and reach out to stakeholders beyond the ‘usual suspects’.

But such developments also pose new challenges, not least in relation to privacy and security, training, infrastructure and accessibility. This event will explore the problems in the legislative process – e.g. time, speed, resources, access to expert knowledge, scrutiny capacity – and how new technological developments might help solve them.

Bringing together experts from Parliament and the technology sectors we will explore how Westminster could utilise the rupture of being uprooted from the Palace to drive innovation in the legislative process.

Schedule

2.00pm: Open
2.30pm: Session 1 - Capacity, Scrutiny and Engagement: Challenges and Opportunities
4.00pm: Break
4.30pm: Session 2 - Parliament as an Innovation Lab: Restoration and Renewal... and Beyond
6.00pm: Drinks reception

This event forms part of the Hansard Society's work on Sense4Us, a multi-national technology research project funded by the European Union.

Latest / Highlights

News / Will Parliament pay a price for promises to WASPI women? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 61

As Christmas approaches, Westminster eases into its pre-festive lull. Yet, a major political storm clouds the year’s end: the fallout from the Government’s decision not to compensate the WASPI women. This controversy highlights a recurring dilemma in politics—the risks of opposition parties over-promising and the inevitable backlash when those promises confront the harsh realities of governing. And as a seasonal stocking filler, Ruth and Mark talk to the authors of two fascinating books that uncover hidden aspects of parliamentary history.

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What's coming up in Parliament this week? 16-20 December 2024

MPs will review five bills, including the Water (Special Measures) Bill, and debate two e-petitions on Israel and Palestine, including one on halting arms exports to Israel which may raise sub judice concerns. Six Select Committees will see membership changes following front bench reshuffles, and Peers will consider proposals for four new inquiry committees for 2025. The Defence Committee Chair will raise concerns about poor service accommodation, while Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper, Shabana Mahmood, Wes Streeting and Michael Gove face Select Committees.

Briefings / The Assisted Dying Bill: A guide to the Private Member's Bill process

This briefing explains what to watch for during the Second Reading debate of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 29 November. It outlines the procedural and legislative issues that will come into play: the role of the Chair in managing the debate and how procedures such as the 'closure' and 'reasoned amendments' work. It looks ahead to the Committee and Report stage procedures that will apply if the Bill progresses beyond Second Reading. It also examines the government's responsibilities, such as providing a money resolution for the Bill and preparing an Impact Assessment, while addressing broader concerns about the adequacy of Private Members’ Bill procedures for scrutinising controversial issues.

News / Licence to scrutinise: spooks, hereditary peers and assisted dying - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 60

In this week’s episode the ‘assisted dying’ bill takes centre stage as the newly chosen members of the Public Bill Committee gear up for detailed scrutiny of the legislation. With 23 members, including two ministers, this committee promises a mix of seasoned voices and first-time MPs debating a very difficult issue. We are joined by Hansard Society researcher, Matthew England, who breaks down the committee’s composition, party balance, and the strategic dynamics that will influence the bill’s trajectory.

News / How a British student has schooled the US Congress - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 58

In this special episode, we dive into the fascinating world of US congressional procedure with Hansard Society member Kacper Surdy, the once-anonymous force behind the influential social media account @ringwiss. Despite being a 20-year-old Durham University student, Kacper has become a go-to authority on Capitol Hill’s intricate rules, earning the admiration of seasoned political insiders. With Donald Trump hinting at bypassing Senate norms to appoint controversial figures to his cabinet, Kacper unravels the high stakes procedural battles shaping Washington.