The power of MPs in the House of Commons could be strengthened under plans announced in today’s Queen’s Speech.
Speaking in the House of Lords, the Queen said ministers would ‘uphold the sovereignty of Parliament and the primacy of the House of Commons’ in legislation to be brought forward.
The potential changes come after growing government frustration that peers were blocking legislation in the Conservatives’ manifesto.
Lords have been particularly vocal on controversial measures including the Housing and Planning Act and tax credits, prompting some policy reversals.
Last year Lord Strathclyde was asked to come up with proposals to ‘secure the decisive role of the House of Commons in the passage of secondary legislation’.
Background notes accompanying the speech read: ‘Parliamentary sovereignty is one of the most fundamental principles of the constitution and the Government is committed to ensuring that it is upheld.’
The Queen also announced proposals would be brought forward for a British Bill of Rights, which has been talked about for years and was a Tory manifesto pledge.
It is expected the Bill will try to reform the UK framework, with new rights based on those in the European Convention on Human Rights and common law.
The Government claimed its new Bill of Rights would ‘better protect against abuse of the system and misuse of human rights laws and restore common sense to their application’.
There has been strong opposition to any move to repeal the Human Rights Act and leave the convention from the Scottish Government while Labour and the Lib Dems both went into the General Election on a platform to retain the current framework.
The Government said it would ‘consult fully’ before bringing forward proposals.