权力下放语境中的合法性审查:英国的实践

自1998年始,英国制定和完善了《苏格兰法》《北爱尔兰法》《威尔士政府法》,向苏格兰议会、北爱尔兰议会和威尔士议会下放立法权。根据这三部法律的规定,英国法院可以对地方立法是否超越立法权限进行合法性审查。英国合法性审查制度的重要特点是:事前审查与事后审查并存;依据制定法进行审查而不能依据普通法进行审查;进行实质审查而否定形式审查;属于强型审查而非弱型审查。实践中,英国最高法院通过一系列判例,发展了本土化的裁判方法,完善了合法性审查的效力制度,回应了权力下放过程中的争议。法院在监督地方越权立法方面发挥着日益重要的作用。英国合法性审查的制度设计和实践经验值得予以关注。

Since 1998,the United Kingdom has drawn up and improved Scotland Act 1998,Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Government of Wales Act 2006,and devolved legislative powers to the Scottish Parliament,the Northern Ireland Assembly and the National Assembly for Wales.According to the provisions of three laws,the courts can conduct a review of whether devolved legislation goes beyond its legislative competence.The main features of the review systems are as follows:pre-enactment review and post-enactment review coexist;devolved legislation can only be reviewed in accordance with statutes and cannot be reviewed at common law;substantive review is carried out and formal review is denied;it is the strong-form review rather than the weak-form review.In practice,the Supreme Court of UK has developed the domestic method,improved the legal effect system of the judgment,and responded to disputes in the process of devolution through a series of cases.Courts are playing an increasingly significant role in supervising devolved legislation.The institutional design and practical experience of the UK review system deserve special attention.