Skip to main content

Proceeding contribution from Dominic Grieve (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 20 October 2009. It occurred during Debate on bill on Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill.


Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

I thank the Secretary of State. In tribute to him, it seems that he has injected a note of reality into the fantasy world that was being manufactured two years ago. Of course, some of those other measures may be in the Labour party manifesto for the next election, but that is not to say that that will not also be fantasy. I do not want to take up too much of the House's time, so in respect in constitutional renewal, I simply make this point: I notice that the long title of the Bill omits the words "and for connected purposes". If I were a suspicious individual, I would think that the Justice Secretary had done that to prevent hon. Members from tabling amendments on wider constitutional issues. I am sure that he will tell me that I am completely wrong about that. Perhaps it was thought unnecessary given that, in the words of the constitutional expert Robert Hazell, the Bill is more a constitutional reform (miscellaneous provisions) Bill. That is where the whole thing has gone off the rails. I shall highlight the measures that we support. They include the measures that would put the civil service on a statutory basis, although I agree with the Joint Committee that that would have been better dealt with in a short, stand-alone civil service Bill. We will consider how the proposals can be improved, especially in adding a duty to manage taxpayers' money to the civil service's core values.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
497 c815 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Disciplinary proceedings Courts British nationality Conduct Devolution Civil servants Civil service Diplomatic service Attorney General By-elections Elections Human rights House of Lords Judiciary Electoral register Hereditary peers Government departments Judges Electoral systems Misconduct Northern Ireland Public appointments Parliament Square Protest Public expenditure Parliamentary scrutiny Politics and government Peers Parliament Special advisers Public order National Audit Office Overseas residence Scotland Tribunals Treaties Reform Wales Voting rights Royal prerogative Civil Service Commission
Legislation
Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill 2008-09 to 2009-10
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk