If we are looking at the quality of leadership in our central government, another important element in my view is to improve the knowledge of our MPs on areas they should know about but (in my experience) often don’t.
What about a course for new MPs? Ideally compulsory - but it could start by just being offered (and also offered to longer-serving MPs who wanted it).
The following topics seem to me to be basic if MPs are to effectively perform their functions of scrutinising legislation and government, and assisting constituents.
I’d have thought you could fit the following (in no particular order) into a 5 day course (with handouts). The aim is to cover basics, not prepare them for a degree.
1. Constitutional law - the role of Parliament, government and courts. What the rule of law means. 2. Statutes and statutory instruments, how they are made, and how to read them (principles of interpretation).
3. Judicial review: principles and a few cases. 4. Devolution. 5. How to interpret key govt statistics. 6. Freedom of Information. 7. International trade including principles of treaties; how treaties are made and implemented in domestic law: the WTO: the EU.
8. Basic principles and operation of the tax, social security and immigration systems (including how to challenge individual decisions).
9. Climate change: the science, law and policy.
10. The criminal justice system and sentencing, how it works and current problems.
I’d have thought many practitioners and experts would be happy to help devise and teach such a course.
