Taming the Prerogative
Taming the Prerogative

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Public Administration Select Committee

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 9780215015969

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The prerogative powers of ministers include some of the most important functions of government, such as decisions on armed conflict and the conclusion of international treaties. This report describes how such powers have come to be delegated. It also concludes that they should be more closely regulated. It proposes that the government should prepare a list of all prerogative powers, which would be considered by a parliamentary committee. Appropriate legislation, with any required statutory safeguards, would then be put into place. A draft Bill is appended to the report.

Machinery of government changes
Machinery of government changes

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Public Administration Select Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2007-06-15

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 0215034651

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Recent disputes over the creation of a new Ministry of Justice have demonstrated the need for a better way of making changes to the machinery of government. At present there is no mechanism to ensure that changes are fully considered before implementation and that the reasoning behind them stands up to scrutiny. The Ministers of the Crown Act 1975 ought to act as a Parliamentary check but at present it does not serve that function well as the Government has the power to decide whether Parliament gets a vote or even a debate. The Committee think that at the very least there ought to be timely debates because the need for Parliamentary assent would lead to greater scrutiny and therefore greater legitimacy. The Committee also note that the current machinery of government is fundamentally the result of the Haldane Report of 1918. It is time for a fresh look at the entire structure of government and a new Haldane inquiry.

HC 351 - Role and Powers of thePrime Minister
HC 351 - Role and Powers of thePrime Minister

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Political and Constitutional Reform Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-06-24

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13: 0215073215

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Many of the Prime Minister's powers are obscure "prerogative" powers, which are not well understood or defined. More of these prerogative powers should be codified in statute to make them more transparent and increase accountability to Parliament. Government should also consider consolidating the existing Prime Ministerial powers in one place - the way the role has evolved means there is no single and authoritative source of information on the powers. There is widespread agreement that the Prime Minister's role has increased in recent decades-including in policy making. Coalition government has to some extent constrained the powers of the Prime Minister but this might not persist under single-party government. The need for support by a majority of Members of Parliament and the Cabinet acts as a check and balance on the Prime Minister. However, these political mechanisms are not effective on a "day-to-day" basis. The Liaison Committee has the potential to be a very effective mechanism for Parliament to hold the Prime Minster to account, and should continue to improve the way it works. The Government should consider a role for Parliament in the investiture of the Prime Minister, or the Government, after a general election. Some consider that accountability of the Prime Minister would be strengthened by direct election by the public, US style. The Government could also consider the creation of a combined Department for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, with a departmental Select Committee specifically to scrutinise that Department