Publications / Reports

Westminster Lens: Parliament and Delegated Legislation in the 2015-16 Session

14 Mar 2017
Big ben with data graphic superimposed on top of it

This report presents original research data on delegated legislation in the 2015-16 parliamentary session. In doing so, it seeks to plug the statistical hole that exists in the understanding of the delegated legislation process, for parliamentarians, officials and observers alike.

This 2017 research report in our Westminster Lens data series builds on our 2014 study The Devil is in the Detail: Parliament and Delegated Legislation. That study laid bare the complexities, weaknesses and contradictions in the delegated legislation scrutiny process, in the first comprehensive study of this process in decades.

This report on delegated legislation in the 2015-16 parliamentary session shines further light on the process by providing detailed original data on the types of delegated powers used, the types, volume and flow of delegated legislation, the amount of parliamentary scrutiny to which Statutory Instruments were subject during the session, and the results of the parliamentary scrutiny process. The report thus furnishes essential data to improve the quality of the political debate around the rights and wrongs of delegated legislation and its scrutiny.

  • Introduction

  • Henry VIII powers

  • Volume

    • Number of pages

    • By department

    • EU-related instruments

  • Type of instrument

    • House of Commons-only instruments

    • English votes for English laws (EVEL)

  • The scrutiny process

    • Scrutiny time

    • Scrutiny of negative instruments

    • The 21-day rule

    • Scrutiny of affirmative instruments 19

  • Rejecting instruments

  • Withdrawn and correcting instruments

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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.

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Briefings / Assisted dying bill: what will happen on Friday 13 June?

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.

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News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 9-13 June 2025

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.

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News / Indefensible? How Government told Parliament about the Strategic Defence Review - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 95

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.

06 Jun 2025
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Submissions / Parliamentary scrutiny of treaties - Our evidence to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee

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.

03 Jun 2025
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