Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business and Enterprise Committee's Books

Correspondence with Ministers : November 2007 to April 2008, 2nd report of Session 2009-10

Government and Commission responses Session 2008-9 : 11th report of Session 2009-10

This report examines the matter of accountability to the House of Commons of Lord Mandelson of Foy and Hartlepool, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. As a member of the House of Lords he is unable to answer questions in the House of Commons. The report compares the current situation with previous examples of Cabinet ministers being in the House of Lords. The Committee notes that the current situation differs from the past in that a significant proportion of the ministerial support team is based in the Lords or shared with other departments. It is unfortunate that the department for business is so thinly represented in the Commons. One solution would be to amend Standing Orders to allow Lord Mandelson to appear at the Despatch Box to answer questions in the Commons. There are precedents for this approach. Such a change might, though, encourage governments to appoint more members of the House of Lords as department heads, and the Committee feels that would be an unwelcome and significant constitutional change. The Procedure Committee should investigate a mechanism for parliamentary questions to the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Accountability to the House of Commons of secretaries of state in the House of Lords : Third report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal minutes and written Evidence

Companies House has two main functions: the incorporation, dissolution and restoration of limited companies; and the maintenance of a register of company details, annual reports and accounts which it makes available for public inspection. It funds its work by charging fees and pays a small dividend to the Treasury each year. Companies House handles a vast amount of data. It is now doing much more of this electronically. This move has not been entirely smooth. In the Committee's view, the greatest difficulties facing Companies House, and those who use its services, arise from matters which are not directly controlled by Companies House itself - namely the way in which the internet has enabled faster and easier access to information. The Committee makes a number of recommendations about assessing particular risks and trying to reduce them. An underlying theme of this report is the need for Companies House to do more to explain the limitation of the information it holds. It is felt that much more could and should be done to make clear that the role of Companies House is to receive and publish data and that its power to verify information is extremely limited

work of the Committee In 2008-09 : Sixth report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal Minutes

Work of the Committee 2008-09 : Second report of session 2009-10, report, together with formal Minutes

The Marine Bill was designed to establish a new UK-wide strategic system of marine planning to balance conservation, energy and resource needs, based on the principle of sustainable development and working with the devolved administrations. The Committee reports here reservations about the framework nature of the draft Bill. It was felt that too much of its policy is contained in secondary legislation or guidance. That there are significant areas of confusion of responsibility - between UK and international, especially EU, obligations; between devolved adminstrations; the many agencies and other bodies who will be involved in delivering the proposals in the Bill.

This report from the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) concludes that the practice of appointing ministers from outside Parliament via the House of Lords should be exceptional and subject to more checks and balances. Introducing a wider range of experience into ministerial teams can sometimes make government more effective, but government could also achieve this by making greater use of the range of talent on their own backbenches. The Committee argues for more scrutiny of outside appointments when they are made. The Prime Minister would be required to explain to the House of Commons why an appointment had been made, under what terms and what was expected of the minister during their time in government. The prospective appointee could be required to attend a pre-appointment select committee hearing. PASC identifies a strong argument of principle that ministers in an unelected House of Lords should be accountable to all Members of the House of Commons. People who have been appointed to the Lords to be ministers should not automatically receive a title and place in the legislature for life. It may be preferable to have a limited number of ministers who are members of neither House but accountable to both. The Committee also examined the role of so-called 'tsars'. There should be much more transparency about such appointments, with greater clarity about their roles and responsibilities and a public statement of what they have achieved in their posts.

Keeping the door wide Open : Turkey and EU accession, seventh report of session 2007-08, Vol. 2: Oral and written Evidence

Regional Development Agencies and the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill : Fourth Report of Session 2008-2009

Book's by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Business and Enterprise Committee

Correspondence with Ministers

Correspondence with Ministers

Government and Commission responses session 2008-9

Government and Commission responses session 2008-9

Departmental Annual Report and Scrutiny of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

Departmental Annual Report and Scrutiny of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

Accountability to the House of Commons of secretaries of state in the House of Lords

Accountability to the House of Commons of secretaries of state in the House of Lords

Companies House

Companies House

The work of the Committee in 2008-09

The work of the Committee in 2008-09

Work of the Committee 2008-09

Work of the Committee 2008-09

Draft Marine Bill: Report and formal minutes

Draft Marine Bill: Report and formal minutes

Goats and tsars

Goats and tsars

Keeping the Door Wide Open

Keeping the Door Wide Open

Regional Development Agencies and the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill: Oral and written evidence

Regional Development Agencies and the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill: Oral and written evidence

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