Constitutional & Governance Reform
Proposed Legislation for the Restoration of State Capacity: A comprehensive statutory framework to codify executive power, enforce efficiency, and reconstruct the machinery of government.
United Kingdom Parliament
State Capacity and Constitutional Reform Bill
A BILL TO codify the powers of the Executive; to establish the National Priority Order
mechanism; to reform legislative standards; to impose regulatory budgets; to reconstruct the
system of judicial review; to abolish certain non-departmental public bodies and impose
liability limits; to establish the National Delivery Office; to introduce performance metrics
for the Civil Service; to reconstitute the House of Lords; and for connected purposes.
BE IT ENACTED by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of
the same, as follows:—
Part 1: The Executive Authority Framework
1
Codification of Executive Competence
(1) The powers of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to direct the administrative machinery of
the State are hereby codified in the Schedule of Executive
Competencies.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any court to adjudicate on the exercise of powers listed in the
Schedule where such exercise concerns matters of national security, international relations, or
the deployment of the Armed Forces.
2
National Priority Orders
(1) The Prime Minister may issue a National Priority Order (NPO) to expedite projects of
strategic significance.
(2) An NPO shall operate to—
(a)disapply provisions of the
Town and Country Planning Act 1990;
(b)limit public consultation
periods to a maximum of 30 days; and
(c)authorise immediate
procurement via single-tender action.
(3) An NPO shall expire 12 months after enactment unless affirmatively renewed by resolution of
the House of Commons.
Part 2: Legislative Standards
3
The Single Subject Rule
(1) No Bill shall be introduced into Parliament which contains provisions relating to more than
one distinct subject matter.
(2) The Speaker of the House of Commons shall certify compliance with this section prior to
Second Reading. Non-compliant "Christmas Tree" bills shall be void.
4
The Regulatory Budget
(1) A statutory Regulatory Budget is hereby established.
(2) No Minister may sign a Statutory Instrument imposing a net compliance cost on the private
sector unless—
(a)regulations of equivalent
or greater cost are simultaneously repealed; or
(b)the measure is certified as
a National Security necessity.
Part 3: Judicial Review Reform
5
Standing and Timelines
(1) In proceedings regarding infrastructure, energy, or defence, standing is restricted to
persons with a direct proprietary interest.
(2) Applications for Judicial Review must be filed within 14 days of the decision.
(3) The High Court must issue a final determination within 90 days. Failure to rule within this
period results in the automatic dismissal of the claim.
Part 4: Administrative Reconstruction
6
The Quango Cap and Abolition
(1) The total number of Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies shall not exceed 100.
(2) The total headcount of all arm's-length bodies combined is capped at the level recorded on 1
January 2020.
(3) The bodies listed in Schedule 2 (including Natural England, the Office for Environmental
Protection, and the Arts Council) are abolished, with functions reverting to Departments.
7
The National Delivery Office (NDO)
(1) There shall be a National Delivery Office within the Cabinet Office.
(2) The Head of the NDO may issue Delivery Directives to
resolve inter-departmental obstructions.
(3) A Delivery Directive overrides departmental spending limits or personnel freezes for the
specific project concerned.
8
Civil Service Performance
(1) Senior Civil Servants (Grade 7 and above) shall be employed on fixed-term 5-year performance
contracts.
(2) Renewal of contracts is conditional upon the achievement of specific delivery metrics
defined at appointment.
Part 5: Policy Accountability
9
Mandatory Impact Scoring
(1) Every government bill or major regulation must be accompanied by a quantified Impact Score
assessing its effect on—
(a)National GDP and
productivity;
(b)Housing supply;
(c)Energy costs; and
(d)Defence readiness.
(2) Measures with a negative aggregate score require a supermajority vote in the House of
Commons to pass.
Part 6: Parliamentary Reform
10
The Merit House
(1) The House of Lords is abolished and replaced by the Merit House.
(2) Membership is limited to 300 persons appointed for a single 15-year term based on proven
achievement in science, industry, defence, and civic service.
(3) Any member failing to attend 60% of sitting days in a session shall immediately vacate their
seat.
Part 7: Final Provisions
11
Commencement
This Act comes into force immediately upon Royal Assent.