Constitutional Reform Centre

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0097 CRC
Held at	: British Library of Political and Economic Science   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.lse.ac.uk/library ›
Full title	: Constitutional Reform Centre
Date(s)	: 1970-1992
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 29 box files
Name of creator(s)	: Constitutional Reform Centre

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Constitutional Reform Centre was founded in 1984 to investigate the reform of the British constitution and government. The work of the CRC is controlled by an advisory board, and includes holding conferences and commissioning investigations into areas of constitutional reform. These have included the role of planning enquiries, the development of a written constitution, the civil service, and the intervention of the European Commission. The Centre has also organised a series of seminars under the aegis of the Rt Hon Leslie George Scarman, Baron Scarman of Quatt. A working party has investigated company political donations and benefits to business of good government. Publications include the Constitutional Reform Quarterly Review and CRC Politics Briefings. The CRC has worked with other organisations, notably the National Committee for Electoral Reform, and the Campaign for Fair Votes.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Working files of the Constitutional Reform Centre, 1970-1992, comprising general files, 1970-1991, organised by project, on the Bill of Human Rights, the Civil Service, the David Harlech Democracy Prize (a video-making competition for 16-23 year olds), the Europe and European Convention on Human Rights, the 'Good Government, Better Business' campaign, legal system reform, proportional representation in local government, local government relations with central government, and opinion polls; material relating to conferences and seminars, 1984-1992, on subjects including the European Convention on Human Rights, the conduct of elections, constitutional change, the abolition of the metropolitan authorities, major planning inquiries, and a written constitution; papers relating to work with the National Committee for Electoral Reform, 1976-1988, notably on the Campaign for Fair Votes in 1987, including correspondence with the Labour Party and the Conservative Party, press releases, questionnaires and leaflets; material relating to the CRC's Working Party on Company Donations, 1985-1987, including reports, minutes and working papers; printed material, 1978-1991, mainly on the British electoral system and proposals for its reform.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

The papers are mainly organised by project.

Conditions governing access:

Open, though some confidential files remain closed. Apply to Archivist for details.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright retained by the donor and their heirs. No documents may be photocopied.

Finding aids:

Printed handlist available.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Given by the Constitutional Reform Centre in 1993.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

The BLPES holds material relating to the Constitutional Reform Centre in the archives of the Liberal Party (Ref: Liberal Party/1/32).

National Register of Archives: Click here to view NRA record

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Sources: British Library of Political and Economic Science catalogue. Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Oct 2000