Westminster Lens: Parliament and Delegated Legislation in the 2015-16 Session

Publications / Reports

Westminster Lens: Parliament and Delegated Legislation in the 2015-16 Session

14 Mar 2017

This report presents original research data on delegated legislation in the 2015-16 parliamentary session. In doing so, it seeks to plug the statistical hole that exists in the understanding of the delegated legislation process, for parliamentarians, officials and observers alike.

This 2017 research report in our Westminster Lens data series builds on our 2014 study The Devil is in the Detail: Parliament and Delegated Legislation. That study laid bare the complexities, weaknesses and contradictions in the delegated legislation scrutiny process, in the first comprehensive study of this process in decades.

This report on delegated legislation in the 2015-16 parliamentary session shines further light on the process by providing detailed original data on the types of delegated powers used, the types, volume and flow of delegated legislation, the amount of parliamentary scrutiny to which Statutory Instruments were subject during the session, and the results of the parliamentary scrutiny process. The report thus furnishes essential data to improve the quality of the political debate around the rights and wrongs of delegated legislation and its scrutiny.

Introduction
Henry VIII powers
Volume
- Number of pages
- By department
- EU-related instruments
Type of instrument
- House of Commons-only instruments
- English votes for English laws (EVEL)
The scrutiny process
- Scrutiny time
- Scrutiny of negative instruments
- The 21-day rule
- Scrutiny of affirmative instruments 19
Rejecting instruments
Withdrawn and correcting instruments

Latest / Highlights

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 10-14 March 2025

MPs will debate the Crime and Policing Bill for the first time, followed by two days of debate on the remaining stages of the Employment Rights Bill, including of some substantial Government amendments. Backbenchers will also lead debates on the future of farming, and mental health support in education. Peers will continue to scrutinise the legislation to abolish the right of the remaining hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, will consider new amendments to the Football Governance Bill and will complete their scrutiny of the controversial Product Regulation and Metrology Bill.

News / Net Zero and National Security: How can Parliament hold the Government to account? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 78

How will Parliament hold the Government accountable for its Net Zero commitments? With the Climate Change Committee publishing its recommendations for the Seventh Carbon Budget, we talk to Toby Perkins MP, Chair of Parliament’s Net Zero watchdog, the Environmental Audit Committee. We also explore the Government’s controversial decision to block National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell from testifying before Parliament. Finally, Simon Hart, former Chief Whip, shares revelations from his political diaries and warns that parties must better prepare MPs for the pressures of modern politics.

Blog / Breaching the 0.7% international aid target: a case study in legislative failure

The Prime Minister’s plan to cut international aid breaches the Government’s legal duty to meet the 0.7% spending target, raising constitutional concerns. Should an Act allow for premeditated non-compliance? Can a statutory duty imposed on Government by Parliament be overturned by a ministerial statement? And when a law’s purpose is abandoned, should it be amended or repealed? The fate of this Act exposes the flaws in declaratory legislation, weak parliamentary scrutiny, and executive dominance of Parliament.

News / Assisted dying bill: Special series #6 - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 79

In this sixth instalment of our special mini-podcast series, we continue to track the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. This episode looks into developments in the Bill Committee this week, where scrutiny of the legislation has intensified. And we speak with Professor Colin Gavaghan about how New Zealand legislated for assisted dying.

Briefings / The assisted dying bill: How does the amendment process work?

The assisted dying bill (Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill) is now at the Committee stage, where a Public Bill Committee reviews the bill clause by clause. This briefing outlines the Committee’s role, how MPs propose changes to the bill and where these are published, how the Chair selects and groups amendments, and how these are debated and voted on.