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Lord Chancellor gives annual evidence to Constitution committee

30 November 2015

On Wednesday 2 December the House of Lords Constitution Committee holds its annual evidence session with the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP.

Witness

Wednesday 2 December, Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am:

  • Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice

Possible questions

The session covers a range of issues related to the Lord Chancellor's areas of responsibility including:

  • The proposed UK Bill of Rights: When the Government's consultation begins and whether it includes a draft Bill, whether the government rules out withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, and whether a new Bill of Rights should include a statement on collective values.
  • Devolution and Human Rights: Whether Mr Gove accepts a Bill of Rights that applies only to England, while the Human Rights Act remains in force in the devolved nations, and how the government ensures that the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly exercise new powers to change their franchise without the legislation being found incompatible with Convention Rights following the ruling on votes for prisoners.
  • Role of the Lord Chancellor: How Mr Gove sees his responsibility for maintaining the rule of law, his view on changes to the Ministerial Code which remove references to minsters being bound by international law, and how he will ensure that access to justice is not affected by reforms of Courts and Tribunals?
  • Prisoner voting: When the Government will respond fully to the Joint Committee report on prisoners' voting rights.

 Further information

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