House of Commons - Modernisation of the House of Commons - Second Report

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House of Commons

Session 2004-05
Publications on the internet
Modernisation of the House of Commons Committee Publications

Modernisation of the House of Commons - Second Report

Here you can browse the report together with the Proceedings of the Committee. The published report was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 16 March 2005.

Contents

Terms of Reference

Report
Conclusions and recommendations
1 Introduction

Background
How significant is EU legislation in the context of UK law?
The need for change
How the EU legislates
The forward programme of EU legislation
Giving effect to European legislation in the UK
How European Scrutiny works in the Commons
The Scrutiny Reserve
The European Scrutiny Committee
The European Standing Committees
Proceedings in the House
How European Scrutiny works in the Lords
The European Union Committee
How European Scrutiny works in other countries

2 Proposals for change to the current system

Timing of scrutiny
Departmental select committees
Meetings of the European Scrutiny Committee
A new Joint Grand Committee
Title
Membership and quorum
Chairmanship
Participation of non-Members
Procedure
Triggering meetings
Proceedings relating to European Council meetings
Debates before European Council meetings
Reports from Council meetings
Westminster Hall
European Standing Committees
Increasing the number of committees
Chairmanship
Strengthening links with the European Scrutiny Committee
Motions in the standing committee
Transposing directives into UK law
Co-operation between national parliaments

3 Parliament's role under the new Constitutional Treaty

The subsidiarity early-warning mechanism
The simplified revision procedure ('passarelle')

Annex 1: The Scrutiny Reserve Resolution

Scrutiny of European Business

Annex 2: Scrutiny of European Business in Finland

The Finnish Parliament
Parliament's constitutional role in foreign affairs
Types of EU matter
The Grand Committee and the subject committees
U-matters
E-matters
Subject committees
Procedure before Council meetings
Proceedings in the Plenary
Observations

Formal minutes
Witnesses
MINUTES OF EVIDENCE

Wednesday 5 May 2004

Wednesday 23 June 2004

Wednesday 14 July 2004

Wednesday 8 September 2004

Wednesday 15 September 2004
List of Written Evidence

Written evidence
Reports from the Committee since the beginning of the 2001 Parliament

© Parliamentary copyright 2005
Prepared 22 March 2005