Welcome to Parliament Matters, the new weekly podcast from the Hansard Society about the institution at the heart of our democracy – Parliament. This introductory trailer will give you a preview of what you can expect every Friday after the first full episode lands on 10 November 2023, three days after the King's Speech.
Each week, Mark D'Arcy (the BBC’s former parliamentary correspondent) and Ruth Fox (the Director of the Hansard Society) will guide you through how laws are made and ministers held accountable by the people we send to Westminster.
They will analyse the often mysterious ways our politicians do business and keep track of all the running controversies about the way Parliament works. Why? Because whether it's the taxes you pay, or the laws you've got to obey... Parliament matters!
Mark and Ruth will be answering questions from listeners on all things Parliament during each show.
Learn more and send us your questions online via the button below.
Parliament Matters is produced by the Hansard Society with the support of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a Quaker trust which engages in philanthropy and supports work on democratic accountability.
"Hello, I'm Mark Darcy. And I'm Ruth Fox, and we're here to tell you about Parliament Matters, the new weekly podcast about all things Parliament from Hansard Society. Two things you should never see being made, laws and sausages. However appetizing they seem, you don't want to think too hard about what went into them. But the ingredients do matter. So we'll be looking at how laws are made and ministers are held accountable by the people we send to Westminster.
We'll do our best to answer your questions about them. We'll be analyzing the sometimes mysterious ways our politicians do business and keeping track of all the running controversies about the way Parliament works. Everything from whether billions of pounds should be spent on revamping the Palace of Westminster, the home of Parliament, whether the years should be spent rewriting the constitution, perhaps replacing the House of Lords with an elected Senate, not to mention the fast evolving system to stamp out bad behavior by MPs and Peers.
We'll do everything from looking back at key historical events in Parliament to discussing the latest research on democracy and politics. Between us, we've got lots of practical experience working in and around Westminster and observing Parliament and politicians at close quarters. I was the BBC's parliamentary correspondent for two decades, presenting programs like Radio 4’s Today in Parliament and the Westminster Hour, and I started out working in Parliament for an MP.
But now research and write about how Parliament works and how it can be better. This isn't our first double act because some of you may remember we used to commentate together for BBC Parliament on big votes during the Brexit era. But this podcast is being brought to you by the Hansard Society. No, not the record of parliamentary debates, but the parliamentary think-tank known as the Westminster Parliament’s critical friend.
Founded nearly 80 years ago, the Hansard Society has always been resolutely non-partisan. Its first members were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, and today we're bringing Parliament Matters to you with the support of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, a Quaker trust which engages in philanthropy and supports work on democratic reform. So join us each week and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from for a regular update on the health of the institution at the very heart of our democracy, Parliament itself.
Because whether it's the taxes you pay or the laws you've got to obey, Parliament matters. You can follow us on social media @HansardSociety and look out for our first episode on Friday the 10th of November."
Use the links below to subscribe to the Hansard Society's Parliament Matters podcast on your preferred app, or search for 'Parliament Matters' on whichever podcasting service you use. If you are unable to find our podcast, please email us here.
The UK Spending Review outlines how Government funds will be allocated over several years. Unlike the Budget, which raises revenue, the Review decides how it is spent. But how is it approved? What role does Parliament play if it doesn’t vote on the Review itself? This blog explores how the Spending Review works, how it differs from the Budget, and how Parliament holds the Government to account through the Estimates process.
On Friday 13 June, the House of Commons will once again debate the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. Specifically, it will hold a second day of Report Stage, during which the whole House will debate and vote on amendments. This briefing explains the structure of Report Stage, what happened on the first day of Report Stage, how amendments are selected and grouped, on which amendments a decision can still be taken, and the likely sequence of events this Friday, including whether a final vote will take place.
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, will deliver a statement on the Spending Review. MPs will resume Report Stage of the assisted dying bill and debate key legislation on football governance, mental health, and planning and infrastructure. Peers and MPs are expected to resolve their standoff over AI and copyright in the Data (Use and Access) Bill. The Commons Defence Committee will hear from the lead reviewers of the Strategic Defence Review, while a Lords Committee will examine the Chagos Archipelago sovereignty issue. The Hansard Society’s Director will give evidence to the Modernisation Committee about access to the House of Commons and its procedures.
In this episode, we explore why ministers keep bypassing Parliament to make major announcements to the media — and whether returning to the Despatch Box might help clarify their message. We unpack the Lords' uphill battle to protect creators’ rights in the Data Use and Access Bill, challenge claims that the Assisted Dying Bill lacks scrutiny, and examine early findings from a Speaker’s Conference on improving security for MPs, as threats and intimidation against politicians continue to rise. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.
Our evidence on treaty scrutiny has been published by the House of Lords International Agreements Committee. Our submission outlines the problems with the existing framework for treaty scrutiny and why legislative and cultural change are needed to improve Parliament's scrutiny role. Our evidence joins calls for a parliamentary consent vote for the most significant agreements, a stronger role for Parliament in shaping negotiating mandates and monitoring progress, and a sifting committee tasked with determining which agreements warrant the greatest scrutiny.
