Committees

Treaty scrutiny and House of Lords appointments explored by Committee

28 November 2018

The Constitution Committee hears evidence from two panels of witnesses as part of their ongoing inquiry into Parliamentary scrutiny of treaties and their annual evidence session on the the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

Witnesses

Wednesday 28 November in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am

  • Ms Jude Kirton-Darling MEP, Member of the European Parliament International Trade Committee
  • Dr Sylvia de Mars, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Newcastle

Possible questions

  • How effectively does the European Parliament scrutinise international agreements from the opening of negotiations to ratification?
  • How well does the balance of power between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission operate in the negotiation and approval of international agreements?
  • To what extent do devolved administrations and sub-national parliaments have input into EU-led international agreements? How well does this work?
  • What are the main lessons the UK Parliament should learn from the scrutiny of international agreements by the European Parliament?
  • What level of involvement should the UK Parliament have and at what points in the process


Then at 11.15am

  • Lord Kakkar, former Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC)

Possible questions

  • What is your view of the targets to reduce the membership of the Lords set out in the report of the Lord Speaker's Committee on the Size of the House and the progress to date? What impact will it have on the work of HOLAC?
  • There has been an expectation that the holders of certain senior posts will automatically be given a life peerage on retirement. Are such expectations problematic for reaching the targets set by the Lord Speaker's Committee?
  • What have you been able to do to increase diversity among members of the House of Lords during your tenure at HOLAC? What more might be done in future?
  • Is the Commission sufficiently resourced and empowered to vet nominees for their propriety?

Further information

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