The Constitution Unit
Encyclopedia
The Constitution Unit is a UK based think tank that specialises in constitutional affairs and comparative constitutional studies. Founded in 1995 by Robert Hazell CBE
(who remains Director of the Unit), it is now based within the Department of Political Science at University College London
.
The Constitution Unit has done research on every aspect of the UK government’s constitutional reform programme. Initially their work was forward looking, laying the ground for constitutional changes; more recently they have moved on to research the impact of those changes. It did early work on the Human Rights Act 1998
; devolution
; reform of the House of Lords; referendums; new voting systems; the new Supreme Court; Church and State; constitutional watchdogs; freedom of information legislation
(FOI); and parliamentary reform. More evaluative work has covered the impact of devolution, House of Lords reform and FOI.
The Constitution Unit was commended for its influential role in the constitutional reform of Scotland and Wales in a report outlining 100 world-changing discoveries, innovations and research projects to come out of UK universities in the last 50 years http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1812459,00.html http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/mediareleases/show.asp?MR=458
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(who remains Director of the Unit), it is now based within the Department of Political Science at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
The Constitution Unit has done research on every aspect of the UK government’s constitutional reform programme. Initially their work was forward looking, laying the ground for constitutional changes; more recently they have moved on to research the impact of those changes. It did early work on the Human Rights Act 1998
Human Rights Act 1998
The Human Rights Act 1998 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on 9 November 1998, and mostly came into force on 2 October 2000. Its aim is to "give further effect" in UK law to the rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights...
; devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
; reform of the House of Lords; referendums; new voting systems; the new Supreme Court; Church and State; constitutional watchdogs; freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation comprises laws that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions...
(FOI); and parliamentary reform. More evaluative work has covered the impact of devolution, House of Lords reform and FOI.
The Constitution Unit was commended for its influential role in the constitutional reform of Scotland and Wales in a report outlining 100 world-changing discoveries, innovations and research projects to come out of UK universities in the last 50 years http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1812459,00.html http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/mediareleases/show.asp?MR=458