11.2e Balance of Power

Question 1

Select committees

Answer 1

Select committee reforms by the Wright Committee in 2009 gave select committees more power.

Select committee reforms included reducing the number of committees and giving MPs voting power to choose select committee chairs.

The Backbench Business committee was formed by select committee reforms.

The committee schedules debates in the House of Commons on topics suggested by MPs rather than the government.

Question 2

Military action

Answer 2

The government has increasingly consulted parliament over military action, choosing to put proposed military action to the House of Commons for a debate and vote.

The government sought parliament’s approval for military action against the Syrian regime in 2013, which parliament voted against.

Parliament voted in favour of military action in Iraq in 2014 and Syria in 2015.

However, in 2018 PM Theresa May chose to send airstrikes to Syria without consulting parliament first.

Question 3

House of Lords voting

Answer 3

The House of Lords, where the government does not have a majority, have often delayed government bills from passing.

In 2017 the government was defeated in the House of Lords over its bill to enable people in apprenticeships and under the age of 20 to qualify for child benefits.

Question 4

Government dominance

Answer 4

The government is rarely defeated in parliament votes and often passes its legislation into law because of its majority in parliament and use of parliamentary whips.

The government has a ‘payroll vote’ of MPs who have a role in the executive, from senior to junior roles, who will always vote in support of government policies in parliament.

Tony Blair’s majority government was only defeated four times during its 10 years in power.