CONTENTS
Terms of Reference
Summary
Chapter 1 Introduction
The importance of process
A decade of constitutional change
The meaning of constitutional change
Terminology
The difficulty of defining a constitutional
change
Significant constitutional change
The conduct of this inquiry
Chapter 2: The current practice of constitutional
change
The strengths of current practice
Criticisms of current practice
Lack of constraints on the government
Failure to have regard to wider constitutional
arrangements
Lack of coherence within government
Lack of consistency in the use of particular
processes
Changes may be rushed
Lack of consultation
Lack of consensus
Characterisation of the current practice
of constitutional change
The desirability of establishing an agreed
process
Chapter 3: Our recommended process for constitutional
change
The balance between flexibility and rigidity
Conclusion
Our proposal for written ministerial statements
Public engagement
Cabinet committees
Publication of green papers and consultation
White papers and pre-legislative scrutiny
The legislative process
Referendums
Post-legislative scrutiny
Conclusion
Chapter 4: The role of the Constitution Committee
Minimum interval between first and second
readings
Full and timely government responses to our
reports
Chapter 5: Summary of Recommendations
Appendix 1: Select Committee on the Constitution
Appendix 2: List of Witnesses
Appendix 3: Call for Evidence
Appendix 4: Note of Seminar held on 16 March
2011
Appendix 5: Constitution Committee reports
on process
Evidence is published online at www.parliament.uk/hlconstitution
and available for inspection at the Parliamentary Archives (020
7219 5314)
References in footnotes to the Report are as follows:
Q refers to a question in oral evidence;
CRP 1 refers to written evidence as listed in
Appendix 2.
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