Document 8-Archive
The Document 8 Archive contains information on private proposals in the Storting, who submitted them, and how they were processed. The data was originally compiled for the master’s thesis “Stortinget setter dagsorden. En undersøkelse av de folkevalgtes private forslag 1985–1996” (Hildrum, 1998).
About Document 8 Archive
For each proposal, the archive records:
- The name of the proposer(s)
- The date was presented in the Storting
- Which committee it was referred to
- Which recommendation was processed in
- Processing date and outcome
A headline summarising the proposal is included, but not the full proposal text or justification (before 1994). Since 1994, the complete text has been available online through the Storting’s information service. The full proposal text is often far longer than the headline, and justifications can range from a few lines to dozens of pages.
Many proposals referred to committees are never processed, sometimes being postponed to the next session. Proposals introduced late in the session are almost always deferred, and if they remain unprocessed at the end of a parliamentary period, they must be resubmitted, something that does not always happen.
Proposal Categories
The archive classifies proposals into three categories, adapted from Blondel’s (1971) typology of parliamentary cases:
- Selective proposals: narrow, locally focused issues (e.g., building a specific hospital, approving funding for a local school).
- Intermediate proposals: limited but concrete changes within a broader policy area.
- General proposals: broad, programmatic initiatives with potentially far-reaching effects.
In practice, the boundaries between these categories can be blurred. A proposal may combine local elements with ideological or national implications.
Selective Proposals
Usually target a specific location or small group of people. Examples:
- Building a prison in Østfold (Doc. nr. 8: 91, 1995-96)
- Maintaining planned bed capacity at a hospital (Doc. nr. 8: 42, 1995-96)
- Approving of a specific private school (Doc. nr. 8: 34, 1988-89)
- Dissolve Fredrikstad Municipality to re-establish former divisions before January 1, 1994 (Doc. No. 8: 57, 1993–94)
These may also touch on broader principles, such as municipal mergers.
General Proposals
Programmatic and often unrealistic for immediate implementation, sometimes resembling political manifestos. They may include multiple sub-proposals and call for large-scale changes, e.g.:
- Measures to reduce overconsumption to align with global environmental concerns (Doc.nr. 8:57, 1994-95)
- Strategies to cut pollution nationwide (Doc.nr. 8:46, 1987-88)
- Proposal to appoint a commission to evaluate the organization of the courts (Doc. No. 8:67, 1994–95)
Requests for reports, investigations, or commissions are also included here, as they signal major policy areas for review.
Intermediate Proposals
Fall between the two extremes: clearly defined, practically implementable, but not as narrow as selective proposals. Examples:
- Introducing prior censorship on video recordings (Doc.nr. 8:6, 1987-88)
- Increasing production limits in agriculture (Doc.nr. 8:14, 1987-88)
- Subsidies for senior activities in youth clubs (Doc.nr. 8:1, 1989-90)
- Adjusting school transport co-payments (Doc.nr. 8:38, 1991-92)
Background: What is a Private Proposal?
In the Storting, both members and the government may submit proposals. Private citizens may suggest ideas, but these must be adopted (“forwarded”) by an MP to be formally considered. Government proposals are called proposisjoner, while MPs’ proposals are called private forslag or Dokument 8-forslag.
Private proposals can be laws or other plenary matters. Law proposals follow strict format rules and can only be introduced by Odelsting members or the government. Other proposals are more flexible, though certain procedural rules apply, such as limits on co-signatories and restrictions on re-submitting items already on the agenda.
The Storting’s Procedure for Handling Proposals
The process in the Storting is the same for government bills and private proposals. Both are normally sent to the relevant standing committee for consideration.
The committee reviews the proposal and issues a recommendation to:
- Laws: First debated in the Odelsting, then in the Lagting. If both agree, the law is adopted. If they disagree, the entire Storting votes, requiring a two-third majority.
- Other matters: Debated and decided by the Storting in plenary session (e.g., budget, taxation, constitutional amendments).
There are a few restrictions on the right to submit proposals. Members are generally free to take political initiatives, but:
- Bills must be presented in legislative form, and members of the Lagting cannot submit them.
- No more than 10 members may sign a single proposal.
- Proposals already on the agenda may be rejected.
Otherwise, the proposer is free to decide when and on what subject to submit a proposal.
Use
The archive can be used to study how party system characteristics and Storting’s formal structure (hierarchy, committee system) influence:
- Who participates in proposals
- The content of proposals
- Their legislative outcomes
Sources
- Dokument nr. 8 series (published continuously during the session)
- Stortingstidende (annual bound volumes containing full texts, justifications, and processing details for all proposals)
Variable Description
The material contains information about private proposals in the Parliament, who submits them, and how they are handled.
The field contains a unique code for each proposal.
The numbering is taken from the publication 'Dokument nr. 8. Private proposals submitted to the Parliament' for the relevant sessions.
The introduction of the proposal taken from the publication 'Dokument nr. 8.'
Date when the proposal was submitted to the Parliament.
The session when the proposal was submitted to the Parliament.
Parliamentary period when the proposal was submitted to the Parliament.
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
Indicates whether the proposal was submitted as a law proposal to Odelstinget, or as a plenary proposal in Parliament.
The variable shows which committee receives the proposal after submission. A separate code set for Parliament committees is used.
Different handling options for proposals submitted to Parliament (applies to all proposals)
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
Whether the proposal was rejected during or after committee consideration. This field has not been consistently registered.
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
The person number here is the same as used in the common archive under the politician archives. It can be used to retrieve attributes of representatives who submitted private proposals.
There may be some errors in the numbering of representatives.
The person number here is the same as used in the common archive under the politician archives. It can be used to retrieve attributes of representatives who submitted private proposals.
There may be some errors in the numbering of representatives.
The person number here is the same as used in the common archive under the politician archives. It can be used to retrieve attributes of representatives who submitted private proposals.
There may be some errors in the numbering of representatives.
The person number here is the same as used in the common archive under the politician archives. It can be used to retrieve attributes of representatives who submitted private proposals.
There may be some errors in the numbering of representatives.
The person number here is the same as used in the common archive under the politician archives. It can be used to retrieve attributes of representatives who submitted private proposals.
There may be some errors in the numbering of representatives.
The person number here is the same as used in the common archive under the politician archives. It can be used to retrieve attributes of representatives who submitted private proposals.
There may be some errors in the numbering of representatives.
NO DESCRIPTION
NO DESCRIPTION
See the documentation for further specifications of this variable.
A field containing some comments on the proposals