Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Lisvane
Main Page: Lord Lisvane (Crossbench - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Lisvane's debates with the Leader of the House
(4 years, 6 months ago)
Lords ChamberTo ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission to be established.
My Lords, the Conservative manifesto committed to reviewing the relationship between the Government, Parliament and the courts in a constitution, democracy and rights commission. We will set up the commission within this Government’s first year. Further announcements will be made in due course.
My Lords, I know that I speak for the whole House in wishing the noble Earl many happy returns for his birthday. On a similarly positive note, I hope that he will be able to give us assurances about the authority and independence of the commission, to be demonstrated by its membership, and, above all, an assurance that the commission will not have its card marked by the Government.
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his kind greetings. I recognise absolutely the concern that lies behind his Question. The one thing we want to achieve from this exercise is a set of recommendations that command public confidence. That means a wide range of engagement by the commission when it is formed and a feeling on the part of the public and, indeed, civil society as a whole, that they are engaged with, and sympathetic to, the outcome.