2.1 The structure and role of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Question 1

Structure: What is Parliament? Who is it made up of? What do they do?

Answer 1

-Parliament is made up of two chambers (bicameral): the House of Commons, and the House of Lords.
-It is made up of a mixture of elected & appointed officials.
-Parliament’s job is to look closely at government plans & to monitor the way things are run. They ensure government are open and transparent, workable and efficient, and fair and non-discriminatory.

Question 2

Structure: What is Government? What is their role?

Answer 2

-The Government consists of the PM, their cabinet, and junior ministers, & the civil servants that work in government departments.
-They are, essentially, in charge of running the country. They set taxes, allocate public spending, and deliver public services.

Question 3

Structure: What are the three branches of government?

Answer 3

-Legislative Body.
-Executive Body (government).
-Judicial Branch, they are independent of the other branches, and ensure laws are fair/legal.

Question 4

Structure: What role does the King play within government?

Answer 4

-The King is still technically the Head of State, though has massively diminished powers.
-His duties are include opening each new session of Parliament, and granting Royal Assent to legislation.
-The King also retains the right to appoint the Prime Minister & meet with the PM weekly.

Question 5

Commons: How is Commons structured?

Answer 5

-There are 650 MPs, each elected from a constituency containing between 60,000-80,000 voters.
-There are 533 English MPs, 59 Scottish MPs, 40 Welsh MPs, and 18 Irish MPs.
-MPs are either frontbenchers (senior MPs, of which there are about 90 in government, and 50 in opposition), or backbenchers.

Question 6

Commons: What are some strengths of Frontbenchers?

Answer 6

-They divide up responsibility, which makes it easier for individuals to be held to account for their actions. Also, delegating work means that people are more likely to be experts in their assigned field.
-The opposition’s shadow frontbench are given 20 days a year to raise their own issues for debate.

Question 7

Commons: What are some weaknesses of Frontbenchers?

Answer 7

-The principle of collective ministerial responsibility (meaning they must publicly support government policy) could lead to competent ministers leaving/losing their roles.
-This principle could also limit the ability of MPs to properly represent their constituents.
-Realistically, 20 days is not that many, and MPs are not compelled to attend these oppositions debates.

Question 8

Commons: What are some strengths of Backbenchers?

Answer 8

-They have more independence than frontbenchers, which enhances their ability to represent their constituents.
-Opposition backbenchers can be prominent, and have many ways to scrutinise.
-Backbenchers can also take roles in Government Committees, which come with a pay rise & increased ability to scrutinise government. They can also become involved in questioning, debates, and voting.

Question 9

Commons: What are some weakness of Backbenchers?

Answer 9

-Backbenchers from the governing parties are still expected to not scrutinise too harshly.
-Their role in government is still very minimal, and they have very few responsibilities compared to junior ministers.

Question 10

Commons: What are some strengths of the Leader of the Opposition?

Answer 10

-Official opposition can claim Short Money from public funds to finance the opposition’s office and help with Parliamentary Business.
-Leader of the Opposition has the reserved right to ask 6 questions at PMQs. This allows the leader to put pressure on the PM & old them to account.
-They are intended to be a government in waiting.

Question 11

Commons: What are some weaknesses of the Leader of the Opposition?

Answer 11

-Sometimes, PMQTs can be used by the PM to showcase the inadequacies of the opposition, and questions can be planted to make the PM look good.
-Leader has very little power to actually DO anything, just to criticise.

Question 12

Commons: What are some strengths of the Party Whip?

Answer 12

-The party whip ensures that the party are united in order to get things done & pass votes quicker.
-Makes sure that MPs follow the party line.
-Whip acts as a means of communication between the backbenchers and leadership.
-Ensures that MPs with poor conduct, face repercussions, like when Matt Hancock had the party whip removed because of his appearance on I’m A Celeb.

Question 13

Commons: What are some weaknesses of the Party Whip?

Answer 13

-Reduces MPs ability to vote fairly. They are unable to vote in line with their constituents as they are forced to follow the party line.
-Can damage the image of the party, if MPs rebel. Starmer’s image was largely damaged due to 56 MPs rebelling during the vote to ceasefire.

Question 14

Commons: What are some strengths of the Speaker of the House?

Answer 14

-The Speaker is supposed to be a neutral mediator. They are generally experienced MPs who have the respect of the Commons.
-They are there to maintain order in the Commons.
-As Speaker, Bercow helped modernise Parliament by relaxing dress codes & allowing unwell/pregnant MPs by proxy.
-Speakers are also responsible for administering Urgent Questions.

Question 15

Commons: What are some weaknesses of the Speaker of the House?

Answer 15

-They have previously served in Parliament, so they are likely more favoured towards one party, and it s realistically impossible to be completely neutral, Bercow in 2017 clearly expressed his views on Brexit to Reading Uni students.
-They are still a serving MP, but are completely unable to represent their constituents.
-As Speaker, Bercow was involved in much controversy due to allegations of bullying. He had also been a member of the ‘Monday Club’ in the 80s.

Question 16

Commons: How do you become an MP?

Answer 16

-Join a party.
-Get placed on the party list of approved candidates.
-Get nominated as a prospective parliamentary candidate for a constituency by being an elected by the local party.
-When an election is called ensure you are nominated by at least ten local residents.
-Win at the election!

Question 17

Lords: How is Lords structured, in terms of its members?

Answer 17

-As of Feb 2024, there are about 800 peers sitting in the House of Lords, they are either hereditary or elected peers.
-Blair’s reforms in 1999 reduced the number of hereditary peers to 92.
-There are also ‘Lords Spiritual’, who are the archbishops & bishops of the CofE.
-Life Peers are appointed because of their expertise in a certain field. They are appoint by the PM because royal prerogative.

Question 18

Lords: What is the Party Makeup of Lords?

Answer 18

-There is a convention that parties can make nominations in rough proportion to their strength in Commons.
-However, as peers hold their position for life, it can take many years to change the balance of party strengths, (in 2021, Con had only 257 of the 794 lords).
-There are also non-party members in Lords, either crossbenchers or non-affiliated.
-There are frontbench spokespersons in Lords just like there are in Commons.

Question 19

Lords: What are some strengths of the Hereditary Peers?

Answer 19

-There are not many benefits of having hereditary peers, however their role has been reduced as the 1999 reforms reduced the number of hereditary peers from 750 to 92.
-Their presence in government does somewhat help prevent governments from having the ability to easily pass bills.

Question 20

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Hereditary Peers?

Answer 20

-People being given roles in Lords due their birth is undeniably unfair & undemocratic, and is arguably archaic - many would suggest that this has no place in modern parliament.
-The reduction of hereditary peers is not necessarily permanent, as the number tends to creep back up.

Question 21

Lords: What are some strengths of the Life Peers?

Answer 21

-Life peers are appointed due to expertise, which implies that they will be able to make well-informed, knowledgeable decisions about government action.
-Life peers can be removed if they are convicted of misconduct.
-Peers can be non-affiliated, which means they don’t have to vote in line with the party whip. Their votes are, likely, more representative of their beliefs.

Question 22

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Life Peers?

Answer 22

-They hold their positions for life, which could lead to complacency. They have security so might, therefore, stop doing their duties properly.
-Political appointments are expected to follow the party line.
-There are been accusations of ‘cronyism’ under Boris Johnson, so it could be suggested that there in an element of nepotism, even in the life peers.

Question 23

Lords: What are some strengths of the Lords Spiritual?

Answer 23

-They are there to represent religious beliefs.
-Leaders of other religion, like the Chief Rabbi, are also peers in Lords.

Question 24

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Lords Spiritual?

Answer 24

-Arguments to separate church & state.
-The other religious peers are not actually Lords Spiritual, they are just life peers.

Question 25

Lords: What are some strengths of the Crossbenchers?

Answer 25

-Helps reduce party politics in Lords, so they are more focused on the actual legislation.
-The crossbenchers effectively form their own party, without restrictions like the party whip.

Question 26

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Crossbenchers?

Answer 26

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Crossbenchers?

Question 27

Lords: What are some strengths of the Non-affiliated?

Answer 27

-Similar pros as crossbenchers! (They vote without regard to party allegiance).

Question 28

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Non-affiliated?

Answer 28

-As they are completely independent, it could be suggested that they might not be completely informed when voting.

Question 29

Lords: What are some strengths of the Frontbenchers?

Answer 29

-They help provide some structure to Lords.
-They reflect the party makeup of Commons.
-As they don’t have to consider constituents, they are able to vote more objectively.

Question 30

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Frontbenchers?

Answer 30

-They, again, could choose to vote in line with the party instead of objectively.

Question 31

Lords: What are some strengths of the Speaker?

Answer 31

-Has an administrative role.
-Helps maintain order in the chamber.

Question 32

Lords: What are some weaknesses of the Speaker?

Answer 32

-The Speaker in Lords in arguably less powerful than the speaker in Commons.
-In Lords, for example, they do not have to address the speaker, and simply begin by addressing the House.