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Professor Robert Hazell is part of a听research project which compares how the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are seeking to regulate prerogative powers.听These are powers which belong to the Crown, but are mainly exercised by ministers.听The most important are the war making power, ratification of treaties, making public appointments听and the organisation of the civil service.听
In the UK, all these executive powers have come under tighter parliamentary control in recent years. The King's personal prerogative powers are also more tightly regulated, through codification in the Cabinet Manual of the conventions about government formation, and statutory restriction of the power to dissolve parliament, and control by the courts of the power of prorogation.
The research team hosted its first workshop on prerogative power reform on 11 October 2019 at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa, Canada. Professor Hazell's paper and slides can be accessed above. There were also presentations on avenues for comparative research and the royal prerogative in Canada.
Professor Hazell also appeared on UCL Uncovering Politics to discuss in 2021.
