At this members' event, the Lord Speaker set out his thoughts on the future of the House of Lords, addressed concerns regarding the size of the Upper House, set out the benefits of the House's scrutiny work, and considered the constitutional role of the House and its role in our wider society.
7:30pm–8:30pm, 7 December 2022 Members' event (Westminster)
The Lord Speaker, the Rt Hon the Lord McFall of Alcluith, will give his first major public speech on the future of the House of Lords, outlining his vision for the Upper House, at this invite-only event for members and colleagues of the Hansard Society.
The Parliamentary Affairs Anniversary Lecture is the first in a series of events to be hosted by the Hansard Society to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Society's quarterly journal, the first edition of which was published in December 1947.
Premium Members of the Hansard Society receive a print copy of Parliamentary Affairs every quarter, in addition to exclusive invitations to private events like this. You can learn more about our membership options and benefits here.
In our latest ‘Whipping Yarn’, we talk with Simon Hart, former Conservative Chief Whip during Rishi Sunak’s Premiership. Hart opens up about his time in one of Westminster’s most demanding and discreet roles, chronicled in his new book, ‘Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip’.
If a crisis or major national event occurs during a period when Parliament is adjourned, there are often demands from MPs, the media and the public for Parliament to be ‘recalled’. But the House of Commons Standing Orders stipulate that only Government Ministers - in reality, the Prime Minister - can ask the Speaker to recall the House. In recent years the House of Lords has generally been recalled at the same time as the House of Commons.
In response to the Modernisation Committee's call for views on 17 October 2024, we submitted evidence outlining key areas we believe the Committee should prioritise. Our submission recommended a focus on: strengthening legislative scrutiny, with particular emphasis on reforming the delegated legislation system; enhancing financial scrutiny, especially in relation to the Budget and the Estimates; addressing strategic gaps in parliamentary scrutiny; making more effective use of parliamentary time; and reviewing the Standing Orders, language and rituals of the House of Commons.
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.
In this ninth instalment of our special mini-podcast series, we continue to explore the latest developments in the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, often referred to as the assisted dying bill. We are joined by Dr Marie Tidball MP to discuss the amendments she has secured for a Disability Advisory Board and an independent advocate for people with learning disabilities.
