Parliament: Legislation and Accountability - Hart Studies in Constitutional Law (Paperback)
Alexander Horne (editor), Professor Andrew Le Sueur (editor)Published: 29/11/2018
This collection of essays by leading academics, lawyers, parliamentarians and parliamentary officials provides a critical assessment of the UK Parliament’s two main constitutional roles—as a legislature and as the preeminent institution for calling government to account. Both functions are undergoing change and facing new challenges. Part 1 (Legislation) includes chapters on Parliament’s emerging responsibilities for pre-legislative scrutiny of government Bills and for evaluating proposed legislation against explicit constitutional standards. The impact on legislation of the European Union and the growing influence of the House of Lords are also examined. Part 2 (Accountability) investigates how Parliament operates to scrutinise areas of executive action previously often shielded from effective parliamentary oversight, including national security, war-making powers and administrative justice. There are also chapters on parliamentary reform, including analysis of the House of Commons ‘Wright reforms’, parliamentary sovereignty, privilege and the European Convention on Human Rights, Euroscepticism, and parliamentary sovereignty and the regulation of lobbyists.
The book will be of interest to anyone who is curious about the work of Parliament and is aimed at legal academics, practitioners and political scientists.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 9781509925414
Number of pages: 344
Weight: 485 g
Dimensions: 234 x 156 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
In the uncertain and unpredictable context of constitutional and Parliamentary development, this book is an essential companion. - From the foreword by Lord Lisvane
The book is an illuminating set of essays on such issues as parliamentary scrutiny of legislation, parliament's constitutional standards, regulation of lobbyists, and parliamentary sovereignty which, taken together, cannot but add to the value to the ongoing debate. - Commonwealth Lawyers' Association and Contributors 2016
This volume ... prompts us to ask some difficult questions about how we understand and measure Parliament’s role in scrutiny and accountability. It is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the tensions between government and parliament on the one hand and between party politics and scrutiny within the Westminster system. - Dr Louise Thompson, Lecturer in British Politics, University of Surrey, The Journal of Legislative Studies
This book will be a helpful guide to anyone who wishes to catch up on recent procedural developments at Westminster...The book provides readers with a good understanding of the speed and direction of movement at a time when UK politics seems volatile and unpredictable. - Brendan Keith, Registrar of Lords’ Interests, The Table
Overall, the editors have done well to maintain a good balance between information and provocation; the empirical and the rhetorical. This has resulted in some contributions that are must-reads and makes this book a worthy addition to the well-regarded Hart Studies in Constitutional Law series. - Justin Leslie, Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, Public Law
This edited collection will be of great interest to those engaged in the study of Parliament and associated matters. The editors have brought together eminent scholars and highly professional and experienced parliamentary officers and staff to offer a detailed analysis of matters that relates to the health of Parliaments and hence the health of democratic political systems. Scholars, parliamentarians, officers and staff of Parliaments and students at the undergraduate and post-graduate level should read this book. - Colleen Lewis, National Centre for Australian Studies, Monash University, Australasian Parliamentary Review
... the contributors between them have a high level of both theoretical understanding and practical expertise and indeed the mixture is manifest from the content, which includes both critical analysis and thoughtful suggestions ... I feel that this is very much a book for those who, frustrated by the academic distinction between law and politics, wish to read material that covers both. The book succeeds very well in that regard and I very much hope that the overlap will come increasingly to be addressed. - Peter Davis, Former Counsel for Domestic Legislation, House of Commons, UK., Statute Law Review
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