The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 is the law governing the dissolution of Parliament and the calling of UK general elections. The Government has said it intends to repeal the Act and the Opposition also set this commitment out in its manifesto – but no proposals for replacing it have yet been made public.
There is a statutory review of the 2011 Act due this summer to review the operation of the Act and make recommendations for possible amendment or repeal. Ahead of this review this inquiry will consider what was the purpose and impact of the 2011 Act, whether it is possible and appropriate to revive prerogative powers, what areas of the 2011 Act may need to be reformed, and what any new legislation should set out to achieve. This will include the appropriateness of fixed term parliaments and scheduled elections, and whether the prorogation prerogative should also come under statutory regulation.