3rd Report - COVID-19 and the use and scrutiny of emergency powers
- HC No.
- —
- Published
- 10 Jun 2021
- Items
- 0
- Response
- Response document linked Read government response ↗
Select Committee · Constitution Committee
Constitutional implications of COVID‑19
Status: Closed
Opened: 13 May 2020
Closed: 21 Jun 2022
3 reports
Inquiry scope
The Covid-19 pandemic and the Government’s measures to respond to it have significant constitutional implications, as well as health, social and economic ones. These include: The ability of Parliament to hold the Government to account Scrutiny of emergency powers The operation of the courts The Constitution Committee is considering these issues and exploring questions such as: What can Parliament do to maximise its scrutiny of the emergency regulations and to hold the Government to account effectively during lockdown? How are adjustments to procedures and processes working in the House of Lords? What emergency powers has the Government sought during the pandemic and what powers has it used and how? What lessons are there for future uses of emergency powers, their safeguards and the processes for scrutinising them? How is the court system operating during the pandemic? What has been the impact of virtual proceedings on access to justice, participation in proceedings, transparency and media reporting? The Committee has concluded taking evidence for this inquiry and will issue reports in due course.Reports
1st Report - COVID-19 and Parliament
- HC No.
- —
- Published
- 13 May 2021
- Items
- 0
- Response
- No response document linked
22nd Report - COVID-19 and the Courts
- HC No.
- —
- Published
- 30 Mar 2021
- Items
- 0
- Response
- Response document linked Read government response ↗
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 2021 | The Lord Bethell, The Rt Hon. the Lord True CBE | View ↗ |
| 16 Dec 2020 | Akash Paun · Institute for Government, Professor Aileen McHarg · Durham University, Professor Daniel Wincott · Cardiff University School of Law and Politics | View ↗ |
| 9 Dec 2020 | Councillor James Jamieson · Local Government Association, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe · Local Government Association, John Apter · Police Federation, Paddy Tipping · Association of Police and Crime Commissioners | View ↗ |
| 2 Dec 2020 | Lord Sumption · The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE · The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | View ↗ |
| 18 Nov 2020 | Dr Joelle Grogan · Middlesex University, Dr Joe Tomlinson · Public Law Project, Kirsty Brimelow QC · The Criminal Bar Association, Lord Sandhurst QC · One Crown Office Row, Professor Alison Young · University of Cambridge, Tom Hickman QC · Blackstone Chambers | View ↗ |
| 11 Nov 2020 | David Allen Green · Financial Times, Dr Ruth Fox · Hansard Society, Raphael Hogarth · Institute for Government | View ↗ |
| 29 Jul 2020 | The Rt Hon. the Baroness Evans of Bowes Park · House of Lords, The Rt Hon. the Lord Ashton of Hyde · House of Lords | View ↗ |
| 22 Jul 2020 | Rt Hon Robert Buckland · Ministry of Justice, Susan Acland-Hood · The Department for Education | View ↗ |
| 15 Jul 2020 | The Rt Hon. the Lord McFall of Alcluith | View ↗ |
| 9 Jul 2020 | Caroline Goodwin QC · Criminal Bar Association, Derek Sweeting QC · The Bar Council, Simon Davis · Law Society | View ↗ |
| 1 Jul 2020 | Carol Storer OBE · Legal Action Group, Cris McCurley · Ben Hoare Bell LLP, James Sandbach · Law Works | View ↗ |
| 24 Jun 2020 | Dr Hannah White · Institute for Government, Professor Meg Russell · Constitution Unit, Sir David Natzler KCB · House of Commons, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Basildon · House of Lords, The Rt Hon. the Lord Newby OBE · Liberal Democrat Peers | View ↗ |
| 17 Jun 2020 | The Lord Harris of Haringey · Labour Peers, The Rt Hon. the Lord Hunt of Wirral MBE · Association of Conservative Peers | View ↗ |
| 10 Jun 2020 | Natalie Byrom · Legal Education Foundation, The Baroness Walmsley · Liberal Democrats, The Rt Hon. the Lord Judge · Crossbenchers | View ↗ |
| 3 Jun 2020 | Professor Dame Hazel Genn · University College London, Professor Richard Susskind OBE · Society for Computers and Law | View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Akash Paun · Senior Fellow | Institute for Government | 1 |
| Carol Storer OBE · Interim Director | Legal Action Group | 1 |
| Caroline Goodwin QC · Chair | Criminal Bar Association | 1 |
| Councillor James Jamieson · Chairman | Local Government Association | 1 |
| Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe · Vice Chair of the City Regions Board | Local Government Association | 1 |
| Cris McCurley · Parter | Ben Hoare Bell LLP | 1 |
| David Allen Green · Law and policy commentator | Financial Times | 1 |
| Derek Sweeting QC · Chair | The Bar Council | 1 |
| Dr Hannah White · Deputy Director | Institute for Government | 1 |
| Dr Joe Tomlinson · Research Director | Public Law Project | 1 |
| Dr Joelle Grogan · Senior Lecturer in Law | Middlesex University | 1 |
| Dr Ruth Fox · Director | Hansard Society | 1 |
| James Sandbach · Director of Policy and External Affairs | Law Works | 1 |
| John Apter · National Chair | Police Federation | 1 |
| Kirsty Brimelow QC · Vice-Chair | The Criminal Bar Association | 1 |
| Lord Sandhurst QC · Former Barrister | One Crown Office Row | 1 |
| Lord Sumption | The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | 1 |
| Natalie Byrom · Director of Research | Legal Education Foundation | 1 |
| Paddy Tipping · Chair | Association of Police and Crime Commissioners | 1 |
| Professor Aileen McHarg | Durham University | 1 |
| Professor Alison Young · Sir David Williams Professor of Public Law | University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Professor Dame Hazel Genn · Professor | University College London | 1 |
| Professor Daniel Wincott · Blackwell Professor of Law and Society | Cardiff University School of Law and Politics | 1 |
| Professor Meg Russell | Constitution Unit | 1 |
| Professor Richard Susskind OBE · President | Society for Computers and Law | 1 |
| Raphael Hogarth | Institute for Government | 1 |
| Rt Hon Robert Buckland · Secretary of State for Justice and Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | Ministry of Justice | 1 |
| Simon Davis · President | Law Society | 1 |
| Sir David Natzler KCB · Former Clerk of the House (2015-2019) | House of Commons | 1 |
| Susan Acland-Hood · Permanent Secretary | The Department for Education | 1 |
| The Baroness Walmsley · Co-Deputy Leader | Liberal Democrats | 1 |
| The Lord Bethell | — | 1 |
| The Lord Harris of Haringey · Chair | Labour Peers | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Baroness Evans of Bowes Park · Leader | House of Lords | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE · Former President | The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Baroness Smith of Basildon · Shadow Leader | House of Lords | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Lord Ashton of Hyde · Chief Whip | House of Lords | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Lord Hunt of Wirral MBE · Chair | Association of Conservative Peers | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Lord Judge · Convenor | Crossbenchers | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Lord McFall of Alcluith | — | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Lord Newby OBE · Leader | Liberal Democrat Peers | 1 |
| The Rt Hon. the Lord True CBE | — | 1 |
| Tom Hickman QC · Barrister | Blackstone Chambers | 1 |
Correspondence
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Meetings & visits
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| Date | Type | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 May 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 12 May 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 28 Apr 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 10 Mar 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 10 Feb 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 4 Nov 2020 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual Meeting | |
| 28 Oct 2020 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual Meeting | |
| 16 Sep 2020 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual Meeting | |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual Meeting |