The House of Lords Constitution Committee is today inviting
written contributions to its new inquiry into the Rule of
Law.
This inquiry is seeking to understand the rule of law as a
constitutional principle and what the state of the rule of law is
in the UK. The committee will consider the different
understandings of the rule of law, both at home and
internationally and explore how the principle works in practice
across Parliament, the judiciary and the executive.The inquiry
will also consider the role of education, the media and civic
society in creating and maintaining a culture that values the
rule of law.
Questions the committee is seeking evidence on include:
- What are the components of the rule of law?
- How well is the rule of law understood by politicians and the
public?
- What threatens the effective operation of the rule of law in
the UK?
- What is Parliament's, Government's and the Judiciary's role
in upholding the rule of law? Are the roles being performed well,
and how can they be improved?
- Is there a role for the public in upholding the rule of law
and international influence?
- Is there a greater role for education, the media and civic
society in promoting the rule of law?
- How important is the rule of law for the UK's economy and
international influence?
- What threatens the effective operation of the rule of law
globally?
The committee invites interested individuals to submit written
evidence by 5pm on Tuesday 15 April. The full
call for evidence and further information is available on the
committee's website.
, Chair of the Constitution
Committee said:
“The meaning of rule of law is being increasingly debated and
appears to be becoming more controversial. As a result, for the
public and politicians alike, there is less clarity and more
confusion about this important constitutional principle.
“The current Government has identified upholding the rule of law
as one of its key priorities. The Attorney General has argued
that the UK needs to strengthen Parliament's role in upholding
the rule of law and promote a rule of law culture, but does this
have any real meaning in practice?
“Recent debates in Parliament have shown that there continues to
be disagreement about what the rule of law means and what it
encompasses, with some commentators suggesting that the rule of
law has either come under threat in the UK or is encouraging
greater judicial activism.
“Therefore, as a committee we have set out to seek answers on
what this principle means today. Has it evolved? Is it
threatened? How is it understood and upheld by politicians and
the public alike? And, how, in a complicated 21st Century
society, can it continue to be a valued concept? We will also
look at international comparisons and whether the UK has a role
in helping shape the rule of law globally.
“We encourage anyone with knowledge or expertise in this area to
come forward and share their views, knowing that they are a
valuable contribution to this inquiry.”
