2 - The structure and Role of Parliament Flashcards
Key info for the HOC
650 MP’s
Elected every 5 years
Key info for the HOL
around 800 members
Most are life peers but 92 hereditary peers
26 senior church of england bishops
Functions of the HOC, HOL and executive
Main law-passing body in the uk
To scrutinise government
Forum of representation
A lot of work done by committees rather than debates
What is the advantages of PMQ’s
Can give positive publicity to the opposition party eg, in 1997 blair accused major of being “Weak,Weak,Weak”
Can allow unwelcome questions to the PM which show their weaknesses eg, Gordon Brown accidently said “We not only saved the world” instead of saved the banks
On rare occasions the pm’s party can go against the pm eg, in jan 2022 David Davis used the quote “In the name of god go” during Johnsons partygate scandal
What is the disadvantages of PMQ’s
They convey an image of rowdiness and theatricals,referred to as punch and judy politics EG, in 2021 Johnson attacked labour and their members about vaccines
In 2014 former speaker John Bercow wrote to party leaders asking them to help moderate behaviour at PMQ’s
Most questions are done to try and outsmart the opposition rather than change opinions or polices
Advantages of parliamentary debates
Allow free expression of views and opinions about the issues of the day
Are televised which helps the accessibility and transparency of parliament
Opportunity to change how MP’s and peers might vote
Disadvantages of parliamentary debates
Most debates are set-piece occasions, MP’s usually adopt party lines
Many use speech’s to impress their higher ups
Few minds and votes are changed, mp’s simply follow party lines
Advantages of select committees
less partisan and confrontational than debates
They are often chaired by opposition mp’s eg, Public accounts is chaired by labour backbencher Meg Hillier
The government must respond within 60 days
reports are often hard hitting and influential eg, In may 2018 The health Select committee recommended a number of measures to reduce child obesity, within a month the government announced changes
Disadvantages of select committees
The governing party will always have a majority
Consensus between parties aren’t always reached, leading to majority and minority reports along party lines
Witnesses can be evasive and illusive
Governments can ignore what the committees say, they only have to respond to the report. Eg in early 2021 the government rejected most of the recommendation regarding universal credit by the work and pensions select committee
Advantage of a vote of no confidence
The nuclear option which can bring down a government, this happened to callaghan’s labour government in 1979
disadvantage of a vote of no confidence
Very unlikely to succeed, only an unstable minority government will lose eg, May survived 2 votes
What is a parliamentary debate
One of the main ways of government scrutiny
They provide an opportunity for the opposition to say how they would handle matters differently
The topics are selected by the governing party but the opposition has 20 “Opposition days” per year were they decide
Where can bills start from
The HOC or the HOL
Mp’s can introduce private member bills but they need government support
What are public bills
The measures that are universally applicable to all people and organisations, most legislation comes from these
What are private bills
usually promoted by organisations to give them powers beyond or in conflict with current laws
The bills only change the law for individual people or company’s eg, the new southgate cemetery act 2017
What are government bills
created and promoted by the government, often fills manifesto promises. All members of the governing party are expected to support these bills
What are private members bills
Bill’s introduced independently by backbenchers, either as 10-minute rule bills or one of the 20 “Winners” of the annual ballot
Few happen with only 7 being made between 2019-21, an example of one is the 2021 botulinum toxin and cosmetic fillers act
What happens during the first reading
The bill is formally introduced to parliament
What happens during the second reading
The main opportunity for debate,questions and voting on the bill. Amendments can be proposed here
Bills can be stopped at this stage, eg 2017 the commons voted 309 to 305 to give parliament the final say on the brexit deal
what happens during the committee stage
A chance to go over the bill and any amendments made during the second reading.
Each bill gets it’s own public bill committee, comprised of backbenchers. Changes rarely happen due to the governing party having a majority in the committee, but changes can happen
Pressure groups and mp’s can submit evidence and address the committee at this stage
What happens during the report stage
Any changes with the committees are discussed and voted on, last chance for mp’s to make amendments
What happens during the third reading
A short debate, no further changes can be made to the bill
A final vote is taken on the bill
What happens at the consideration of amendments stage of the legislative process
Each house considers the others amendments before the bill go’s of for royal assent
At which stage is the bill most likely going to be rejected
The second reading
Example of a bill being started in the HOL
The 2021 Air Traffic management and unmanned aircraft act
What happens when the lords rejects a bill
The parliament act is invoked and after a year it becomes law, during this time the lords can amend the bills.
Both houses can amend each others bills going back and forward, creating parliamentary ping-pong
Example of the HOL amending a bill
The internal markets bill 2020 peers voted overwhelmingly to remove a section of the bill, the government subsequently removed it
What is the burkean/trustee model
The model is associated with edmund burke, who said electors should trust their mp with acting in their best interests
The mps is trusted by their voters to do whatever they think will help their constituents, this includes using their own conscience over things like abortion
What is the delegate model
Mps are the mouthpiece of their constituents and going against them would be very unpopular eg in 2016 zac goldsmith stood down as a conservative mp due to following a promise to his voters about a third runway for heathrow. In the by-election he ran independently but was defeated suggesting the model doesn’t always work
What is the mandate theory
Mps are elected to follow their party and their manifesto promises.
This is the most popular model in the uk
What roles do peers AND mp’s both have
Vote on legislation
Sit on committees
Serve on the cabinet
Contribute to debates and ask ministers questions
introduce private member bills
Make media appearances
Enjoy parliamentary privilege
What roles do only mp’s have
Undertaking constituency casework
Holding regular meetings with their constituency
Having a role in party leader elections
Undertaking backbench rebellions
Providing legitimacy to the government
Examples of back bench rebellions
September 2019, 21 tory mp’s lost the whip after rebelling in one vote that they then lost
Although 30 tory backbenchers rebelled in july 2021 over foreign aid cuts the government won the vote
What roles do only peers have
Contributing specialised insights in debates
Maintaining independence- many peers are crossbenchers so stop bias
Revising and advising on legislation - Given that it’s without a mandate it cannot veto legislation
Where do most peers come from
Retired party members - Lord Prescott was a deputy PM
People with distinctions and achievements- Paralympian and broadcaster tanni grey-thompson
Key functions of public bill committees
Go through bills clause by clause and suggest amendments
Temporary, only meet while a bill is in the committee stage
significance of public bill committees
ensures bills are written properly and fulfils the aims of the writer
Major changes don’t happen due to the whip choosing whos on the committee
Key functions of commons select committees
Provide a more general oversight on government departments
Many chaired by opposition backbenchers
Able to select their own areas for investigation and can summon witnesses
Significance of commons select committees
Comprised entirely from backbenchers
Committee chairs are elected by mp’s not whips
The reports can get media coverage
Example of someone not appearing for a select committee
In 2018 Mark Zuckerberg refused 3 times to attend a select committee about fake news
Key functions of lords select committees
Investigates specialist subjects taking advantage of the extra time they have compared to the HOC
What are the HOL 6 main committees
EU
Communications
Science and technology
Economics affairs
The constitution
International Relations
Significance of HOL select committees
Often have genuine specialists in their field
The governing party doesn’t have a majority on the committees
Key functions of the public accounts committee
Traditionally chaired by an experienced opposition backbencher eg meg hillier
Scrutinises value for money in public spending and if its being spent correctly
Significance of the public accounts committee
covers a wide range of policy areas
Recent reports have ranged from the effectiveness of track and trace to costs of policing protests about HS2
Key functions of the Backbench business committee
Select topics for debate in parliament on days not given over to government businesses,
Oversees e-petitions
Significance of the Backbench Business Committee
Enables backbenchers to have a say in what is debated
A range of topics from the conflict in yemen to jobcentre plus offices being shut
Such debates are better at raising issues rather tan generating legislation or government action
Key functions of the commons liaison committee
Comprises all the chairs of the commons select committees
Usually chaired by a senior independent-minded backbencher of the governing party
Chooses select committee reports for debate in Westminster hall
Questions the PM on aspects of public policy, usually 3 times a year
Significance of the commons liaison committee
Provides a better way for mp’s keeping the pm accountable rather than pmqs
Has no ability to make the government change their policy’s
The pm can be reluctant to appear, eg in 2019 johnson postponed 2 before cancelling his third meeting in october, he made his fist appearance in may 2020
How many committee recommendations are put into place
Around 40%
How many recommendations for major policy changes get accepted
Around 33%
Why are committee chairs around career path than a minister
The chairmen get around the same salary as a junior minister
What is the role of the opposition
Provide scrutiny of government policy’s
Suggest amendments to bills
Argue what they would do if they were in power
Provide a “Government in waiting” with the shadow cabinet
Nominate topics for debates for 20 days a year
What is the split for opposition party’s with opposition days
17 for the “Official opposition”
3 for the second-largest opposition
How can parliament influence government decisions
The committee system and reports
Election of select committees
Debates and questions
Backbench rebellions
Informal lobbying
Amending legislation
Limits to parliaments influence on parliament
Government can and do ignore select committee reports
Select committees are resourced poorly
Government majority renders backbench revolts useless
Government are in charge of most of the parliamentary timetable
The government can use the commons to override the lords, or use the parliament act
How do party’s keep discipline
Whips
When is party discipline most fragile
When they have little to no majority
What are three line whips
Parliament votes when mp’s MUST vote in order of the whip’s
Failure to do so by a minister would lead to a resignation or sacking
If a backbencher doesn’t they can be rejected cabinet roles in the future
When is a free vote allowed
When the vote is on matters of conscience such as assisted suicide and abortion
What are osmotherly rules
Guidance given to civil servants and other government officials before standing in front of select committees
Is only a convention with the latest changes being made in october 2014
What where the osmotherly rules change in 2014 to help
Before officials could be vague and not really answer the questions but after they must try and be as helpful as possible (On the books)
Example of a committee ejecting an official
in 2016 the house affair select committee ejected oliver Robbins, a senior civil servant, for failing to properly answer a question about the budget of the uk border force
How does parliament interact with other branches of government
Parliament provides personnel for government - The PM and Ministers
The forum for government scrutiny
Passes laws interpreted and enforced by the judiciary
any laws passed must be compatible with international agreements EG the ECHR
