House of Lords portcullis
House of Lords
Session 2009 - 10
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill


 

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

 
 

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Ministry of Justice, in conjunction with

the Cabinet Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office and

HM Treasury, are published separately as HL Bill 40—EN.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Lord Bach has made the following statement under section 19(1)(a) of the Human

Rights Act 1998:

In my view the provisions of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill are

compatible with the Convention rights.

 

HL Bill 40                                                                                              

54/5

 

 


 

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

 

 
 

Contents

Part 1

The civil service etc

Chapter 1

Statutory basis for management of the civil service

Application

1   

Application of Chapter

Civil Service Commission

2   

Establishment of the Civil Service Commission

Power to manage the civil service

3   

Management of the civil service

4   

Other statutory management powers

Codes of conduct

5   

Civil service code

6   

Diplomatic service code

7   

Minimum requirements for civil service and diplomatic service codes

8   

Special advisers code

9   

Conduct that conflicts with a code of conduct: complaints by civil servants

Appointment

10   

Selections for appointments to the civil service

11   

Recruitment principles

12   

Approvals for selections and exceptions

13   

Complaints about competitions

14   

Monitoring by the Commission

 

HL Bill 40                                                                                              

54/5

 
 

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

ii

 

Special advisers

15   

Definition of “special adviser”

16   

Annual reports about special advisers

Additional functions of the Commission

17   

Agreements for the Commission to carry out additional functions

Final provisions

18   

Definitions etc

Chapter 2

Consequential and transitional provision

19   

Consequential amendments and transitional provision

Chapter 3

Northern Ireland

20   

The Civil Service Commissioners for Northern Ireland

Chapter 4

Crown employment: nationality

21   

Removal of existing nationality requirements

22   

Power to impose new nationality requirements

23   

Repeals and revocations

Part 2

Ratification of treaties

24   

Treaties to be laid before Parliament before ratification

25   

Extension of 21 sitting day period

26   

Section 24 not to apply in exceptional cases

27   

Section 24 not to apply to certain descriptions of treaties

28   

Meaning of “treaty” and “ratification”

Part 3

Referendum on voting systems

29   

Referendum on voting systems

30   

Entitlement to vote

31   

Referendum period

32   

Role of Electoral Commission

33   

Regional Counting Officers

34   

Payments to counting officers

35   

Taxation of counting officer’s account

36   

Restriction on legal challenge to referendum result

 
 

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

iii

 

37   

Conduct etc of referendum

Part 4

Parliamentary standards etc

Amendments of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009

38   

Compliance Officer

39   

Membership of Speaker’s Committee

40   

Transparency etc

41   

MPs’ salaries

42   

MPs’ allowances scheme

43   

Allowances claims

44   

MPs’ code of conduct relating to financial interests

45   

Investigations

46   

Enforcement

47   

Relationships with other bodies etc

48   

Further functions of the IPSA and Commissioner

49   

Expiry of provisions of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009

50   

Consequential amendments

Other provision

51   

Resettlement grants for MEPs

52   

Parliamentary and other pensions

Part 5

The House of Lords

Excepted hereditary peers

53   

Ending of by-elections for hereditary peers

Removal of members etc

54   

Removal of members of the House of Lords etc

55   

Expulsion and suspension of members of the House of Lords

56   

Resignation from House of Lords

57   

Disclaimer of peerage

58   

Supplementary provision

Part 6

Tax status of MPs and members of the House of Lords

59   

Tax status of MPs and members of the House of Lords

60   

Tax status of members of the House of Lords: transitional provision

 
 

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

iv

 

Part 7

Public order

61   

Demonstrations etc in the vicinity of Parliament

Part 8

Human rights claims against devolved administrations

62   

Time limit for human rights actions against Scottish Ministers etc

63   

Time limit for human rights actions against Northern Ireland Ministers etc

64   

Time limit for human rights actions against Welsh Ministers etc

Part 9

Courts and tribunals

65   

Judicial appointments etc

66   

Salary protection for members of tribunals

67   

Salary protection for office holders in Northern Ireland

Part 10

National audit

The Comptroller and Auditor General

68   

The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General

69   

Status of the Comptroller and Auditor General etc

70   

Provision of services

71   

Remuneration package of the Comptroller and Auditor General

72   

Resignation or removal of the Comptroller and Auditor General

73   

Employment etc of a former Comptroller and Auditor General

The National Audit Office

74   

Incorporation of the National Audit Office

75   

Interaction between NAO and the Comptroller and Auditor General

76   

NAO’s expenditure

Other matters

77   

Efficiency etc

78   

Indemnification

79   

Definitions

80   

Transitional provision and consequential amendments

81   

Power to make Companies Act companies subject to audit of Comptroller and

Auditor General

82   

Powers of National Assembly for Wales: Auditor General for Wales

 
 

Constitutional Reform and Governance Bill

v

 

Part 11

Transparency of government financial reporting to Parliament

83   

Inclusion in departmental estimates of resources used by designated bodies

84   

Corresponding provision in relation to Wales

Part 12

Public records and freedom of information

85   

Transfer of records to Public Record Office

86   

Freedom of information

Part 13

Miscellaneous and final provisions

87   

Section 3 of the Act of Settlement

88   

Referendums: person may not be “responsible person” for more than one

permitted participant

89   

Referendums: expenses incurred by persons acting in concert

90   

Parliamentary elections: counting of votes

91   

Electoral Commission accounts in relation to specified matters

92   

Meaning of “Minister of the Crown”

93   

Financial provision

94   

Power to make consequential provision

95   

Extent, commencement, transitional provision and short title

Schedule 1   —   

The Civil Service Commission

Part 1   —   

The Commissioners

Part 2   —   

The Commission

Schedule 2   —   

Consequential amendments and transitional provision

relating to Part 1

Part 1   —   

Consequential amendments to Acts of Parliament

Part 2   —   

Consequential amendments to other legislation

Part 3   —   

Transitional provision relating to the Civil Service

Commission

Part 4   —   

Other transitional provision

Schedule 3   —   

Crown employment: repeals and revocations

Schedule 4   —   

Parliamentary Standards Act 2009: substituted Schedule 2

Schedule 5   —   

Parliamentary Standards Act 2009: new Schedule 4

Schedule 6   —   

Parliamentary standards: consequential amendments

Part 1   —   

Amendments of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009

Part 2   —   

Amendments of other Acts

Schedule 7   —   

Parliamentary and other pensions

Part 1   —   

Parliamentary and other pensions

Part 2   —   

Provision which may be included in schemes

Part 3   —   

Amendments, transitional provision etc

Schedule 8   —   

Conditions for removal of members of the House of Lords etc

Part 1   —   

Conditions for removal

 
 

 
contents continue
 
House of Lords home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Commons home page search page enquiries

© Parliamentary copyright 2010
Revised 4 March 2010