Government Response To The House Of Commons Science And Technology Select Committee Report

Dated July 2010. Government response to the Committee's 6th report, HCP 335-I, session 2009-10 (ISBN 9780215545190)

This reference book is primarily a procedural work which examines the many forms, customs, and practices which have been developed and established for the House of Commons since Confederation in 1867. It provides a distinctive Canadian perspective in describing procedure in the House up to the end of the first session of the 36th Parliament in Sept. 1999. The material is presented with full commentary on the historical circumstances which have shaped the current approach to parliamentary business. Key Speaker's rulings and statements are also documented and the considerable body of practice, interpretation, and precedents unique to the Canadian House of Commons is amply illustrated. Chapters of the book cover the following: parliamentary institutions; parliaments and ministries; privileges and immunities; the House and its Members; parliamentary procedure; the physical & administrative setting; the Speaker & other presiding officers; the parliamentary cycle; sittings of the House; the daily program; oral & written questions; the process of debate; rules of order & decorum; the curtailment of debate; special debates; the legislative process; delegated legislation; financial procedures; committees of the whole House; committees; private Members' business; public petitions; private bills practice; and the parliamentary record. Includes index.

On 28 June 2007, the Prime Minister announced changes to the machinery of Government that had an impact upon the select committee system within the House of Commons. As a result, the Science and Technology Select Committee will be dissolved and replaced by a new Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee at the beginning of the next session of Parliament. This Report explains the role that the Science and Technology Committee has played within Parliament and the science community. It outlines the Committee's innovations, its impact and concerns regarding future science scrutiny in the House of Commons. It concludes that, in the long term, a separate Science and Technology Committee is the only way to guarantee a permanent focus on science across Government within the select committee system and recommends that the House be given an opportunity to revisit this issue.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee published a report on 'Genetics and Insurance' in April which reviewed the use of genetic test results by insurers, their relevance and reliability and their wider consequences for research and patient care. Although the Government understands fears that testing could lead to new forms of discrimination, it also recognises the concerns of insurance companies that individuals might take out larger than usual insurance in the expectation of an early claim. Discussions have already taken place between the Government and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) which have resulted in a stronger moratorium. The Government recognises that the moratorium is unlikely to provide a permanent solution, but it will give time to consider implications of advance in genetic science and develop a policy that can work in the long term.

Government response to the Committee's 3rd report of session 2009-10 (HL paper 104-I, ISBN 9780108472329)

This Command Paper from the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons sets out a process for post-legislative scrutiny by the Government. The main proposal is that after 3 years any law that has been passed will undergo a review by the relevant Government Department and then Parliament to see how effective the law has been. The publication also includes an appendix with a detailed response to the Law Commission's report on Post-legislative scrutiny (Cm. 6945, ISBN 9780101694520).