Michael Gove faces grilling by MPs on constitutional affairs

• Watch Parliament Live: Work of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Work of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

The Committee is likely to press for answers on: 

• the Government’s response to the Committee’s Governing England report 
• the Government’s response to the Committee’s Work of the Electoral Commission report and related concerns about elections law 
• the review of intergovernmental relations. 

Earlier this month the Committee called out the Government for the poor quality of its response to the Governing England report. The Committee said it showed a clear lack of engagement with the important issue of good governance in England and called on Mr Gove to appear before the Committee to account for the response.  

The Committee criticised the Government’s refusal to set up an independent commission on reforming governance in England, arguing that the issue will now “remain a political football”.   

Questions are also likely on the new requirement for voters to show ID at the polling stations at May’s local elections in England, the Government’s rejection of the Committee’s calls to simplify electoral law, and the lack of detail on the implementation timetable for the Elections Act 2020.  

The session also provides the opportunity to discuss the state of intergovernmental relations since the review’s publication in January 2022. 

Witness 

Wednesday 22 March, Committee Room 15, Palace of Westminster 

From 3pm 

• Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 

Further information

• About Parliament: Select committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch committees

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