Gordon Brown has proposed that the Prime Minister and the executive should surrender or limit the following powers:

  • Power of executive to declare war.
  • Power to request dissolution of parliament.
  • Power over recall of parliament.
  • Power of executive to ratify international treaties without decision by parliament.
  • Power to make key public appointments without effective scrutiny.
  • Power to restrict parliamentary oversight of intelligence services.
  • Power to choose bishops.
  • Power in appointment of judges.
  • Power to direct prosecutors in individual criminal cases;
  • Power over civil service.
  • Executive powers to determine rules governing entitlement to passports.
  • Granting of pardons.

Other recommendations:

  • Parliament will have right to ratify new international treaties.
  • House of Commons will have a bigger role in selection of key public officials.
  • Pre-commencement hearings will be extended to utility and other regulators.
  • Arrangements for making appointments to NHS boards will be reviewed.
  • House of Commons will vote on the appointment of chair of new Independent Statistics Board.
  • Government will regularly publish national security strategy for parliamentary debate and public scrutiny.
  • National security council will be set up.
  • How and whether Intelligence and Security committee can be appointed and report to parliament will be considered.
  • Role of Attorney General will change: except if law or national security requires it, Attorney General has decided not to make key prosecution decisions in individual criminal cases.
  • Government will bring forward legislation to protect neutrality of civil service.
  • Advance-sight government departments have of release of statistical information will be reduced from five days to 24 hours.
  • A new ministerial code providing for a new independent adviser to supervise disclosure and who will be asked to scrutinise ministerial conduct including conflicts of interest.
  • Summer statement prior to Queen's Speech on provisional forward legislative programme.
  • Annual departmental reports debated in parliament.
  • Imminent statement on House of Lords reform, including removal of hereditary peers.
  • Statement on reform of local government proposing new concordat between local and central government.
  • Review of voting systems.
  • House of Commons will discuss and vote upon legislation that flows from EU amending treaty.
  • Independent oversight of authorities and accountability to parliament.
  • Weekend voting will be considered.
  • Period of time during which parties can use all-women short lists for candidate selections; more time for parties to take up this new right if they choose.
  • Change laws that now restrict right to demonstrate in Parliament Square.
  • Right of British people to intervene with their elected local representatives to ensure action - through a new community right to call for action and new duties on public bodies to involve local people.
  • New rights for British people to be consulted through mechanisms such as citizens juries on major decisions affecting their lives.
  • Public debate on Bill of Rights and Duties, or for moving towards written constitution.