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Citizens’ Convention (Accountability and Ethics) Bill


 

Citizens’ Convention (Accountability and Ethics) Bill

 

 
 

Contents

1   

Purpose

2   

Establishment of Citizens’ Convention

3   

Functions of Citizen’s Convention

4   

Procedure and funding of the Convention

5   

Reports of the Convention

6   

Expenses

7   

Short title

 

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Citizens’ Convention (Accountability and Ethics) Bill

1

 

A

Bill

To

Make provision to set up a Citizens’ Convention for the purposes of

establishing minimum standards of ethics for Members of Parliament and for

promoting the involvement of citizens in political decision making; and for

connected purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and

consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present

Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1       

Purpose

The purpose of this Act is to establish minimum ethical standards for Members

of Parliament and to promote the involvement of citizens in political decision

making by means of the establishment of a Citizen’s Convention.

2       

Establishment of Citizens’ Convention

5

(1)   

The Electoral Commission must, within 12 months of the date on which this

Act is passed, establish a Citizens’ Convention (“the Convention”).

(2)   

The Convention is to consist of no fewer than 100 people eligible to vote in a

general election.

(3)   

The selection of people to serve on the Convention must be random, subject to

10

the requirements of subsection (5).

(4)   

No person shall be required to serve on the Convention unless they consent to

do so.

(5)   

The Electoral Commission must take reasonable steps to ensure that

membership of the Commission reflects the composition of the electorate in the

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United Kingdom.

3       

Functions of Citizen’s Convention

(1)   

In pursuance of the purpose of this Act, the Commission must give

consideration to, and make recommendations on, the following—

 

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Citizens’ Convention (Accountability and Ethics) Bill

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(a)   

allowances and expenses payable to Members of Parliament,

(b)   

the system or systems of election to each House of Parliament,

(c)   

the means by which electors may hold to account Members of

Parliament, including any mechanism for the recall or disqualification

of such Members,

5

(d)   

the way in which business is conducted in both Houses of Parliament,

(e)   

the funding of political parties.

(2)   

The Convention may undertake, or commission other persons or organisations

to undertake, such research as it considers appropriate.

(3)   

The Convention shall take reasonable steps to publicise its work and to

10

encourage the submission of evidence to it from all parts of the United

Kingdom.

(4)   

The Convention may establish sub-groups on specific issues within its remit

and invite people who are not members of the Convention to participate in

such groups.

15

(5)   

The Convention must publish any recommendations made under subsection

3(1) as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than 12 months after the

date on which it was established.

(6)   

The Convention may publish recommendations under this section in a single

report or in a series of reports.

20

(7)   

For the avoidance of doubt, references in this Act to Members of Parliament

includes Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

4       

Procedure and funding of the Convention

(1)   

The Convention may determine its own rules and proceedings, which may

include provision for the selection of a chairman and for the conduct of

25

meetings.

(2)   

The Secretary of State may make payments to members and staff of the Convention by

way of remuneration and in respect of expenses incurred by them in the performance

of their duties.

(3)   

The Secretary of State may also defray any other expenses of the Convention.

30

5       

Reports of the Convention

(1)   

The Prime Minister must lay before both Houses of Parliament any report

published by the Convention under section 3.

(2)   

The Prime Minister must, not later than three months after the date on which

a report is laid under subsection (1), make a motion in the House of Commons

35

expressing support for the recommendations contained in the report.

(3)   

The recommendations contained shall be subject to a referendum if—

(a)   

any motion made under subsection (2) is disagreed to, and

(b)   

if a petition calling for a referendum on any of the recommendations

and signed by at least 5 per cent of electors is submitted to the Electoral

40

Commission.

 
 

Citizens’ Convention (Accountability and Ethics) Bill

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(4)   

The Electoral Commission shall publish rules governing the submission of

petitions and the holding of any referendum under this section.

(5)   

The Prime Minister must ensure that a referendum is held in accordance the

rules published by the Electoral Commission under subsection (5).

(6)   

The Secretary of State shall not implement any recommendation of the

5

Convention if a majority of participants in any referendum held under this

section oppose it.

6       

Expenses

There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament

(a)   

any expenditure incurred under or by virtue of this Act by the Secretary of

10

State, and

(b)   

any increase attributable to this Act in the sums payable under any other Act

out of money so provided.

7       

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Citizens’ Convention (Ethics and Accountability)

15

Act 2009.

 
 

 
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