Ultra Vires Essay

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Is there a change of attitude towards the UV doctrine between ex p WDM and Corner House? Does it make a difference which theory the judges adopt? The orthodox ultra vires doctrine (“UV”) postulates that when parliament passes legislation conferring discretionary powers upon a branch of the executive, it therewith passes a specifc intent as to how that power may or may not be exercised. Within this view, the role of the judiciary lies in 'policing' the boundaries set by parliament, and as they do, safeguard the will - and ultimately the sovereignty - of parliament. This paper seeks to argue that there is a discernible change in court's attitude towards the UV doctrine between the case of R v Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ex p WDM and R (On The Application of Corner House Research and Others) v Director of The Serious Fraud Offce; and secondly, that even though said change is discernible, it ultimately does not matter what attitude the courts adopt because the entire debate must shift its focus. R v Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ex p WDM concerned, i.a, the decision by the Secretary of State to approve an aid and trade (“ATP”) provision for the construction of a hydro electric power station on the Pergau river in Malaysia, purportedly acting under the discretionary power awarded to him by s. 1 of the Overseas Development and Cooperation Act 1980 (“1980 Act”). In short, s. 1(1) of the 1980 Act provides that the Secretary of State shall have the power for the purpose of promoting development or maintaing the economy of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom, to furnish any person or body with assistance, whether fnancial technical or of any other nature. The Overseas Development Administration held this particular project to be a 'very bad buy' and economically 'inviable'. Pursuantly, the pressure group World Development Movement
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