On Tuesday, I gave evidence to the Public Administration Select Committee as part of its inquiry into the future of the civil service. I was appearing alongside Professors Anthony King (Essex) and Matthew Flinders (Sheffield). Anyone wishing to watch the session can do so here, though to make sense of some of my comments you…
The House of Lords, like the Commons, has a Question Time, though it differs in important respects from the Commons. In addition to oral questions, it is possible to table questions for written answer. The Government is expected to answer a written question within ten working days. Most Departments manage to do so, but following complaints…
The media have covered extensively the extent to which civil servants accept hositality from outside bodies. When BBC News 24 covered the story, they showed constantly pictures of the Palace of Westminster. This annoyed me intensely as it had nothing to do with the story. Civil servants work in Government Departments. It was not a…
Both chambers will be busy on Wednesday. There will be the usual Prime Ministers’ Questions in the Commons and the House will be debating the Government’s proposal for 42 days’ detention without charge. The Lords will be debating the EU (Amendment) Bill and important votes are expected, not least on the issue of a referendum.…
Much of the evidence we have taken in the Joint Committee on the Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill has tended to be useful and rather worthy. There has been some disagreement, as for example over whether Parliament’s powers in relation to a decision to commit troops to action should be vested in statute or a parliamentary…
