Author Description

"Can- or should - Parliament's procedures and processes be brought up to date to deal with the challenges of a new century, such as devolution and an evolving European Union? Since the early 1960s there has been growing pressure to reform Parliament. In this volume, written to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Study of Parliament Group, an expert team of academics and parliamentary officials reflect on the progress of reform in those forty years, together with the prospects for future development. The Future of Parliament looks at the changed composition of the two Houses, and in particular the impact of professionalization and the increased number of women MPs. The modern emphasis on Parliament's scrutiny role and the challenges to the way in which law is now made are critically reviewed. Beyond Westmintser, the volume considers the impact of devolution and the European Union, Parliament's relationship to the Courts and the growing number of 'constitutional watchdogs', as well as how it should adapt to the development of new media."--Jacket.