Background
18.Some of the provisions contained within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 stem from The Governance of Britain Green Paper (Cm 7170) published on 3 July 2007. This document can be found at:
	www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm71/7170/7170.pdf
19.This Green Paper set out the Government’s proposals for constitutional renewal. It stated that those goals were:
	to invigorate our democracy;
	to clarify the role of Government, both central and local;
	to rebalance power between Parliament and the Government, and give Parliament more ability to hold the Government to account; and
	to work with the British people to achieve a stronger sense of what it means to be British.
20.The Green Paper proposed that the power to make key decisions that affect the whole country, such as whether to ratify treaties, should not stem solely from the Royal prerogative, but rest on a more formal footing, with Parliament playing a key role in determining the exercise of the power. Similarly, the Government proposed that the governance of the Civil Service, also based on the Royal prerogative, and the fundamental values of the Civil Service – impartiality, integrity, honesty and objectivity – should be set out in statute.
21.Following the publication of the Green Paper, the Government published a number of consultation documents on particular policies. These are referred to where relevant in the background to each separate Part of the Act.
22.In March 2008, the Government published a draft Constitutional Renewal Bill. This can be found at:
	www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm73/7342/7342_ii.pdf
23.It contained draft provision in relation to:
	Demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament;
	the Attorney General and prosecutions;
	Courts and tribunals;
	Ratification of treaties; and
	the civil service.
24.The draft Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee of both Houses of Parliament. The Joint Committee reported in July 2008 and its report (HL Paper 166 and HC Paper 551) can be found at:
	www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200708/jtselect/jtconren/166/166.pdf
25.In addition, the Justice Committee of the House of Commons held an enquiry into the provisions relating to the Attorney General. Its report (Fourth Report of the 2007-8 Session, HC 698) can be found at:
	www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmjust/698/69802.htm
26.The Public Administration Committee of the House of Commons also held an enquiry which largely focused on the Civil Service provisions of the draft Bill, although it did also consider the proposals on Treaties. Its report (Tenth Report of the 2007-8 Session, HC 499) can be found at:
	www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubadm/499/49902.htm
27.The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 contains provisions on:
	The civil service;
	Ratification of treaties;
	Parliamentary standards etc.;
	The tax status of MPs and members of the House of Lords;
	Transparency of Government financial reporting to Parliament;
	Public records and freedom of information;
	Section 3 of the Act of Settlement; and
	Counting of votes at parliamentary elections.
28.The following paragraphs provide background on each Part of the Act.