Select Committee · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011

Status: Closed Opened: 4 Mar 2020 Closed: 9 Mar 2021 10 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

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 … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 HC 167 15 Sep 2020 16 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
11 Recommendation Sixth Report - The Fixed-term Parliamen… Not Addressed

The principle that the Government must have, and retain, the confidence of the elected House...

The principle that the Government must have, and retain, the confidence of the elected House of Commons is fundamental to our system of Parliamentary democracy. The Committee fully endorses the findings of our predecessor Committee on the operation of confidence since the establishment of the Fixed- term Parliaments Act, and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government provided no substantive response to the committee's recommendation to endorse the findings of a predecessor committee on the operation of confidence.
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12 Conclusion Sixth Report - The Fixed-term Parliamen… Not Addressed

It is clear that some mix of statue and convention is the best way for...

It is clear that some mix of statue and convention is the best way for this area to be governed, but this requires the actors involved to act in ways which engender trust.

Government response AI summary
The government provided no substantive response to the committee's conclusion about the ideal mix of statute and convention for governance and the need for trust.
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13 Conclusion Sixth Report - The Fixed-term Parliamen… Not Addressed

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act is compatible with the confidence principle and has not divorced confidence...

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act is compatible with the confidence principle and has not divorced confidence from dissolution. If the House of Commons wanted to trigger dissolution by removing confidence from the Government, it has that power under the Act. However, as was seen last year, the Act has created a … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government provided no substantive response to the committee's conclusion about the FTPA's compatibility with the confidence principle and the resulting unacceptable situations.
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Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
21 Jul 2020 Chloe Smith MP · Cabinet Office, Rt Hon Mark Harper MP · Department for Transport View ↗
2 Jun 2020 Professor Alison Young · University of Cambridge, Professor Gavin Phillipson · University of Bristol, Professor Petra Schleiter, Professor Philip Cowley View ↗
24 Apr 2020 Lord O’Donnell, Sir Stephen Laws View ↗

Who gave evidence

8 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Chloe Smith MP · Minister of State Cabinet Office 1
Lord O’Donnell 1
Professor Alison Young · Sir David Williams Professor of Public Law University of Cambridge 1
Professor Gavin Phillipson · Professor of Public Law and Human Rights University of Bristol 1
Professor Petra Schleiter 1
Professor Philip Cowley 1
Rt Hon Mark Harper MP Department for Transport 1
Sir Stephen Laws 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
6 Jul 2021 To cttee Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for the Constitution and Devoluti…
8 Dec 2020 To cttee Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State for Constitution and Devolution o…
10 Nov 2020 To cttee letter from Chloe Smith MP and Lord True to Chair on the Government response to…
8 Oct 2020 To cttee Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State on Common Frameworks, dated 6.10.…
24 Apr 2020 To cttee Letter from Chloe Smith MP, Minister of State on Fixed-term Parliaments Act 201…