14.) How Useful Are MPs

Question 1

Who draws up constituency boundaries?

Answer 1

The Boundary Commission

Question 2

What are some reasons Parliament is representative?

Answer 2

-Every area of the country represented
-Large number of parties in Parliament - so every option
-Parliament becoming more reflective of society (220 women MPs, more racial/sexual minorities)
-MPs have different backgrounds and specialisms

Question 3

What are some reasons Parliament is NOT representative?

Answer 3

-Constituencies aren’t equal (largest constituency: six times more people than smallest constituency)
-FPTP system favours largest parties and those regionally concentrated
-Women underrepresented (34% MPs, half voting population)
-MPs increasingly unrepresentative(29% privately educated vs 7% population)

Question 4

How many MPs had second jobs outside of Parliament?

Answer 4

18% - 2017-19 Parliament

Question 5

Why could a second job be a problem for an MP?

Answer 5

-Bias towards their second job (Lobbyist etc)
-Can’t devote themselves fully to their jobs

Question 6

Is it true that MPs often handle significant amounts of work for constituents?

Answer 6

YES - they often do significant work for local constituents, with one MP in 2010 revealing that they dealt with 2,183 cases in their first year as an MP