[17 November 2015]
An Act to provide for increased Government transparency in Parliament and in His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.
BE IT ENACTED by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords and Burgesses in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1. SHORT TITLE This act may be cited for all purposes as “Government Transparency Act.” 2. ENACTMENT OF REGULAR QUESTION TIMES A. At the beginning of each legislative session following His Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech, the Humble Address, and the presentation of the Government’s agenda for the upcoming session, the Woolsack shall open up the floor to Questions to the Prime Minister. B. Following the conclusion of Prime Minister’s Questions, the Woolsack shall then open up the floor to Questions to any minister in His Majesty’s Government. C. Both question times should remain open by the Woolsack for at least 72 hours and the Woolsack shall not close question time after this 72 hour time period until 12 hours shall have passed after the last substantive question has been answered, as determined by the Woolsack. D. The Woolsack, at its discretion, may extend question time. 3. ENABLING URGENT QUESTIONS A. At any time while Parliament is sitting, a Member of Parliament may request that the Prime Minister, a series of Ministers, or a particular Minister be brought before Parliament to answer questions outside of regular question time. B. Urgent questions shall last for no less than 48 hours and the Woolsack shall not close question time until 12 hours shall have passed after the last substantive question has been answered, as determined by the Woolsack. C. The Woolsack, at its discretion, may extend urgent question time. 4. TRANSPARENCY AND HIS MAJESTY’S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL A. All orders, decrees, proclamations, and ordinances issuing from the remit of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council must be published, in their entirety, in the Tartannac Gazette within 5 days of passage by the Council. B. In the event the appropriate officer of the Privy Council charged with publishing the aforementioned documents fails to do so within 5 days of passage, the Lord President of the Privy Council shall be responsible for publishing these documents in the aforementioned form without delay. 5. COMMENCEMENT This legislation and all the provisions therein shall come into force upon receiving the Royal Assent. THE MEANING OF CERTAIN TERMS EMPLOYED IN THIS ACT: 1. “The Woolsack” shall refer to the moderator of Parliament who shall ordinarily be the Lord Chancellor, but who may extraordinarily be a Member of Parliament designed to serve as a moderator pro tempore.
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