Debate Pack
This Debate Pack has been prepared for the Westminster Hall Debate on Thursday 21 July 2016 at 1.30pm initiated by Ian Murray MP. The debate is on the motion: That this House has considered devolved governments and negotiations on the UK leaving the EU:, Westminster Hall The subject for this debate was determined by the Chairman of Ways and Means.
Research Briefing
An increasing number of voices suggest Parliament needs to be involved in triggering Article 50, the first legal step towards the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. But while 51.9% voted to leave the European Union in the referendum on 23 June 2016, only 24% of MPs declared support for Leave during the referendum campaign. This
Research Briefing
The House of Lords Reform (No. 2) Bill 2013-14 was a private Members’ bill, which received Royal Assent on 14 May 2014. It allows members of the House of Lords to retire or resign permanently. It also provides that members who did not attend and those convicted of serious offences should cease to be members of the House of Lords.
Research Briefing
In line with the provisions of the House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Act 2015, the House of Lords has made Standing Orders that enable a suspension to run beyond the end of a Parliament and enable the House of Lords to expel members for reasons other than non-attendance or being sentenced to over a year in prison (as provided for in the House of Lords Reform Act 2014).
Research Briefing
Now that the UK has voted to leave the EU, what will happen next? This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the immediate consequences of the vote and some of the longer term implications. This paper considers various questions about UK withdrawal from the EU and what is likely to happen in the coming weeks and months. The issues include the method of leaving the EU, continuing parliamentary scrutiny of EU business and the withdrawal negotiations, and the implications of Brexit for Scotland and Gibraltar.
Research Briefing
Briefing paper for the second reading of the Wales Bill 2016-17.
Research Briefing
Impeachment was a means by which Parliament could prosecute and try individuals, normally holders of public office, for high treason or other crimes and misdemeanours. Impeachment is considered obsolete, as it has been superseded by other forms of accountability, and the rules underpinning the procedure have not been adapted to modern standards of democracy or procedural fairness
Research Briefing
This Commons Library briefing paper reviews the power of select committees “to send for persons, papers and records”, that is to obtain oral and written evidence. The Paper considers arguments that have been made to increase select committees’ abilities to enforce these powers without recourse to the House. It reviews the arguments for requiring witnesses to give evidence on oath to select committees.
Research Briefing
This Commons Library briefing looks at the new Settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union agreed at the European Council on 17-19 February 2016. The Settlement consists of seven texts: a Decision and a Statement of Heads of State or Government and five Declarations.
Research Briefing
It was the first Assembly election when all three UK-wide parties: Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats lost seats. Labour fell short of a majority and won 29 of the 60 seats in the National Assembly. The Conservatives, for the first time, did not increase their seat count loosing 3 seats.
Research Briefing
The Conservative Party went into the 2015 General Election with a manifesto commitment to “scrap the Human Rights Act and curtail the role of the European Court of Human Rights.” This note provides a brief introduction to the Human Rights Act 1998; the European Convention on Human Rights and the work of the European Court of Human Rights.
Research Briefing
This Commons Library Briefing Paper identifies issues and bills that may appear in the Queen’s Speech, which will outline the Government's legislative programme for the 2016-17 Session of Parliament.
Research Briefing
Since the summer of 2015 the British steel industry has been in turmoil. Steel plants have closed, several steel manufacturing companies have gone into liquidation, and others have been restructured. There have been around 5,000 jobs lost in the industry, with redundancies across the country, most numerously in Redcar, Hartlepool, South Wales and Motherwell. The
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