Erskine May Parliamentary Practice, 25th edition

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Erskine May Parliamentary Practice, 25th edition

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Erskine May is the eponymous guide to parliamentary practice and procedure, providing accurate and detailed information on the constituent parts of Parliament, its powers and jurisdictions, membership of either House, financial procedure and the process of debate.

Alongside the incremental changes to and refinements of parliamentary practice which happen all the time, the 25th edition covers many significant developments since the last edition in 2011, including:
- A new chapter on "English Votes for English Laws" introduced following the 2015 General Election, which details the varied and complex ways in which these engage with both primary and secondary legislation.
- The process of implementing the outcome of the 2016 referendum on the UK?s membership of the EU. An account is given of the procedures in both Houses for the scrutiny and approval of the transposition of EU law into UK law.
- Further parliamentary consequences of the coalition government that took office in 2010, including the reforms introduced by the Wright Committee, the evolving impact of the introduction of the new category of "backbench business" and the election of Deputy Speakers in the House.
- An e-petitions system overseen by a new Petitions Committee set up in 2015.
- Changes to select committee working practices and powers under their new elected chairs.
- A new financial timetable introduced in 2017 with the Chancellor?s annual budget statement moving from Spring to Autumn, and a change to how Estimates Day debates are handled.
- Important reforms to how the conduct of both MPs and members of the Lords is governed and how breaches of the respective codes are pursued.
- Continuing arguments over the future of parliamentary privilege. Recent relevant court cases and developments within Parliament are assessed, including the 2013 Joint Committee on Parliamentary Privilege.
PART 1: Constitution and organization of Parliament;
Chapter 1: The constituent parts of Parliament (excluding Payment of Members);
Chapter 2: Elections;
Chapter 3: Disqualification for membership of either House;
Chapter 4: Members and Officers of Parliament (including Payment of Members);
Chapter 5: Rules governing the conduct of Members of both Houses and the disclosure of financial interests;
Chapter 6: Administration of Parliament and the parliamentary estate;
Chapter 7: Parliamentary papers and publications;
Chapter 8: A new Parliament and opening and closing of session;
Chapter 9: Formal communications between Crown and Parliament and between Lords and Commons;
Chapter 10: Parliament and international assemblies;

PART 2: Powers and privileges of Parliament;
Chapter 11: Powers and jurisdiction of Parliament (to include; summoning of witnesses and Chapter 9 (Penal jurisdiction of both Houses);
Chapter 12: The privilege of Parliament;
Chapter 13: Privilege of freedom of speech;
Chapter 14: Privilege of freedom from arrest;
Chapter 15: Contempts;
Chapter 16: Complaints of breach of privilege or contempt;
Chapter 17: The courts and parliamentary privilege;

PART 3: Conduct of business;
Chapter 18: A sitting: general arrangements in the House of Commons;
Chapter 19: The control and distribution of time in the House of Commons;
Chapter 20: Outline of business of the House of Commons;
Chapter 21: The process of debate in the House of Commons by motion, questions and decision;
Chapter 22: Maintenance of order during debate in the House of Commons;
Chapter 23: Methods of curtailing debate;
Chapter 24: Public petitions;
Chapter 25: Organization and conduct of business in the House of Lords;

PART 4: Public legislation;
Chapter 26 : Characteristics of a public bill (including Pre-legislative scrutiny);
Chapter 27: Proceedings in the House of Commons (including Committee of the whole House);
Chapter 28: Proceedings in the House of Lords;
Chapter 29: Other matters relating to public bills (including ping-pong and Parliament Acts)[to be retitled];
Chapter 31: Delegated legislation;
Chapter 32: Parliamentary oversight of European Union matters;

PART 5: Financial procedure;
Chapter 33: Financial procedure-general;
Chapter 34: Public expenditure and Supply;
Chapter 35: Expenditure: Money resolutions;
Chapter 36: Ways and Means and Finance Bills;
Chapter 37: The role of the House of Lords in financial procedure;

PART 6: Committees;
Chapter 38: House of Commons: select committees;
Chapter 39: House of Commons: general committees;
Chapter 40: Committees in the House of Lords;
Chapter 41: Joint committees of the Lords and Commons;

PART 7: Private legislation;
Chapters 42 to 46
Editor: Malcolm Jack PhD, Clerk of the House of Commons.

Deputy Editor:

Mark Hutton, Principal Clerk, House of Commons. Assistant editors: Douglas Millar CB, formerly Clerk Assistant, House of Commons; Simon Patrick, Principal Clerk, House of Commons; Christopher Johnson, Clerk of the Journals, House of Lords; Alan Sandall, Formerly Deputy Principal Clerk, House of Commons