2.3 The Main Functions Of The House Of Commons

Question 1

What is a key function unique to the House of Commons but not the House of Lords?

Answer 1

Representing the interests of people in each constituency across the UK, as it is the only elected part of Parliament.

Question 2

What is the shared role of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords?

Answer 2

Examining the government’s actions and passing laws.

Question 3

What happens during the First Reading of a bill in the UK House of Commons?

Answer 3

The bill is formally introduced to Parliament, with no debate at this stage.

Question 4

What is debated during the Second Reading of a bill in the House of Commons?

Answer 4

The main principles of the bill

Question 5

What occurs at the Public Bill Committee stage?

Answer 5

MPs examine the bill in detail and can propose amendments.

Question 6

What happens during the Report Stage of a bill?

Answer 6

MPs discuss any amendments made during the Public Bill Committee.

Question 7

What is the purpose of the Third Reading of a bill in the House of Commons?

Answer 7

It is the final chance for MPs to debate the bill before it moves to the House of Lords.

Question 8

What is the role of the House of Lords in the legislative process?

Answer 8

The bill goes through the same stages as in the House of Commons. (Helps to scrutinize legislation)

Question 9

What is Royal Assent in the UK legislative process?

Answer 9

Once both Houses approve the bill, it is sent for royal assent and becomes law.

Question 10

What is party-line voting in committees?

Answer 10

This happens when committee members, who mostly belong to the ruling party, vote the way their party wants instead of thinking about what’s best for the bill.

Question 11

Why is party-line voting a problem?

Answer 11

It stops fair changes from being made because members focus on supporting their party, not on whether the bill is good or bad.

Question 12

What do party whips do?

Answer 12

Party whips are people who make sure MPs vote the way their party leaders want them to.

Question 13

Why is the influence of party whips a problem?

Answer 13

It pressures MPs to follow the party’s orders instead of sharing their real opinions or fully discussing the bill.

Question 14

What is secondary legislation?

Answer 14

It’s when government ministers can create detailed rules or changes to a law without Parliament having to vote on it.

Question 15

Why is secondary legislation a problem?

Answer 15

These rules don’t get fully debated in Parliament, so there’s less scrutiny. It gives ministers too much power to make changes without proper checks.

Question 16

What does Parliament do for the executive?

Answer 16

Parliament provides people for the executive (government) to fill roles like ministers.

Question 17

Why do most ministers come from the House of Commons?

Answer 17

It’s tradition for key government leaders to come from the elected House of Commons to give them democratic legitimacy, meaning they represent the people’s choice.

Question 18

What is one advantage of selecting ministers from the House of Commons?

Answer 18

MPs can prove their skills in Parliament, like during debates, which can show they’re ready for government roles.

Question 19

Give an example of an MP proving their skills.

Answer 19

Young MP Iain Macleod impressed Winston Churchill during a debate on the NHS with his strong arguments and understanding. Churchill saw his talent and insisted on giving him a government role, despite others thinking he was too young.

Question 20

What is a limitation of choosing ministers only from Parliament?

Answer 20

A major limitation is the small pool of candidates available. Since ministers must be chosen from MPs, there are fewer options to select from. Up to one-third of MPs from the ruling party may already be in government roles, which limits diversity and fresh ideas in leadership positions.

Question 21

How does the Prime Minister influence the selection of ministers?

Answer 21

The Prime Minister decides which MPs get promoted to ministerial roles. This can make some MPs avoid criticizing the government because they want to stay on the Prime Minister’s good side and improve their chances of getting a promotion.

Question 22

Why is the Prime Minister’s influence over MPs a problem?

Answer 22

When MPs focus on pleasing the Prime Minister to get promoted, they may not honestly debate or challenge government decisions. This can reduce accountability and make Parliament less effective at checking the government’s power.

Question 23

What is one of the main roles of MPs in Parliament?

Answer 23

MPs debate the government’s plans for new laws to see how they might affect the public. For example, with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, MPs discussed how much power the government should have over people, especially when it comes to national security.

Question 24

What are private members’ bills?

Answer 24

These are ideas for new laws suggested by individual MPs, not the government, and MPs debate them to decide if they should become law.

Question 25

How else can MPs hold the government accountable?

Answer 25

MPs can ask questions, raise public concerns, and debate government policies to check if the government is acting in the public’s best interest.

Question 26

What is the Backbench Business Committee?

Answer 26

It’s a group set up in 2010 to let MPs who aren’t part of the government (backbench MPs) choose topics to debate in Parliament.

Question 27

How does the Backbench Business Committee work?

Answer 27

It gives backbench MPs 35 days a year to decide what topics Parliament will debate, so they can talk about important issues the government might overlook.

Question 28

What are some topics the Backbench Business Committee debated in 2021-22?

Answer 28

They discussed Black History Month, religious discrimination based on gender, and the role of the Irish in Britain on St. Patrick’s Day.

Question 29

Why is the Backbench Business Committee important?

Answer 29

It gives MPs who aren’t in the government a chance to bring attention to important issues that might not otherwise be discussed in Parliament.

Question 30

What is the Petitions Committee?

Answer 30

The Petitions Committee, set up in 2015, organizes debates in Parliament for petitions that gather at least 100,000 signatures.

Question 31

How does the Petitions Committee work?

Answer 31

When a petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the committee can schedule a debate in Parliament, ensuring that issues with strong public support are discussed.

Question 32

Can you give an example of a debate organized by the Petitions Committee?

Answer 32

In March 2022, the committee arranged a debate on waiving visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees, allowing them to enter the UK without the long and complicated visa process.

Question 33

What are adjournment debates?

Answer 33

Adjournment debates happen at the end of each day in Parliament, allowing MPs to raise specific issues directly with a government minister.

Question 34

How do adjournment debates work?

Answer 34

An MP applies to the Speaker to ask a question to a minister. After the MP speaks, the minister responds. If they agree, other MPs can also ask follow-up questions.

Question 35

How long do adjournment debates last?

Answer 35

These debates are short, lasting only 30 minutes, and usually have fewer MPs attending.

Question 36

Can you give an example of an adjournment debate?

Answer 36

In 2020, MP Neil Parish used an adjournment debate to ask the BBC to protect regional news programs, highlighting the importance of local news.

Question 37

Why are adjournment debates important?

Answer 37

They let MPs discuss specific issues that might otherwise be overlooked, giving them a chance to bring attention to important public concerns.

Question 38

What are Early Day Motions (EDMs)?

Answer 38

Early Day Motions are requests from MPs to discuss a specific issue in Parliament, often used to show support for important topics.

Question 39

How do Early Day Motions work?

Answer 39

Most EDMs don’t lead to debates, but if many MPs sign one, it shows strong support for the issue and can pressure the government to pay attention.

Question 40

Why are Early Day Motions important?

Answer 40

They allow MPs to highlight important issues and demonstrate widespread support in Parliament, even if the issue isn’t debated right away.

Question 41

Can you give an example of an Early Day Motion?

Answer 41

In 2018, MP Matt Western proposed renaming Parliament’s Carriage Gates as “Palmer Gates” to honor PC Keith Palmer, who died protecting Parliament during the 2017 Westminster attack. This motion was supported by 117 MPs.

Question 42

What are emergency debates in Parliament?

Answer 42

Emergency debates let MPs discuss urgent issues that need immediate attention in Parliament.

Question 43

How do emergency debates work?

Answer 43

An MP requests a debate under House of Commons Rule 24. The Speaker decides if it’s allowed. If approved, the MP explains the urgency, and the House votes on whether to hold the debate.

Question 44

Can you give an example of an emergency debate?

Answer 44

In 2019, Oliver Letwin requested an emergency debate to prevent the UK from leaving the EU without a deal. Speaker John Bercow approved the request, and Parliament debated the issue.

Question 45

Why are emergency debates important?

Answer 45

They allow MPs to respond quickly to urgent national or international issues, ensuring immediate discussion and possible action.

Question 46

What are Urgent Questions in Parliament?

Answer 46

Urgent Questions allow MPs to ask the Speaker for permission to question a minister on an issue needing an immediate response.

Question 47

How do Urgent Questions work?

Answer 47

If the Speaker agrees it’s in the public interest, the minister must come to Parliament to explain what the government is doing about the issue.

Question 48

Can you give an example of an Urgent Question?

Answer 48

In January 2022, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle allowed MP Angela Rayner to question the Prime Minister about breaking lockdown rules during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Question 49

What are some limitations of debates and scrutiny in Parliament?

Answer 49

MPs are often pressured by party whips to vote a certain way, and some debates, like adjournment debates, don’t lead to real legal changes.

Question 50

What are the benefits of debates and scrutiny in Parliament?

Answer 50

MPs can argue independently, and strong debates can influence key votes. For example, in December 2021, debates on Covid-19 passes raised important concerns about personal freedoms.

Question 51

What is the main role of the House of Commons in representing the public?

Answer 51

The House of Commons represents the people of the UK through 650 MPs, each representing a specific area (constituency), ensuring local interests and concerns are heard in national decision-making.

Question 52

What are criticisms of how the House of Commons represents society?

Answer 52

Critics say it does not fully reflect the diversity of UK society, being historically dominated by privately educated, white, middle-class men.

Question 53

What improvements in diversity have been made in the House of Commons?

Answer 53

The 2019 Parliament was the most diverse ever, with 34% female MPs, 10% from Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds, and 7% identifying as LGBTQ+.

Question 54

What groups remain under-represented in the House of Commons?

Answer 54

Critics point out under-representation of the working class (80% of MPs have professional or business backgrounds), women (66% of MPs are male), and state-educated individuals (27% attended private schools vs. 6% of the general population).

Question 55

Why is the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system criticized?

Answer 55

FPTP often leaves many votes unrepresented, as only the winner in each constituency gets a seat, which can lead to a Parliament that doesn’t reflect the full range of public political views.

Question 56

What does legitimation mean in the context of Parliament?

Answer 56

Legitimation means giving official approval to government decisions, making them lawful and widely accepted.

Question 57

What was Parliament’s original role in legitimation?

Answer 57

Parliament was originally created to give official approval to the monarch’s decisions.

Question 58

How has Parliament’s role in legitimation changed over time?

Answer 58

Today, Parliament approves government decisions instead of the monarch. For example, all bills must be approved by the House of Commons to become law, and only the Commons can approve the Budget since the 1911 Parliament Act.

Question 59

How did the Iraq War in 2003 change the role of Parliament in legitimation?

Answer 59

Prime Minister Tony Blair allowed Parliament to debate and vote on joining the US-led invasion of Iraq to ensure the decision had public and parliamentary support, making it more legitimate.

Question 60

What is the royal prerogative, and how does it relate to legitimation?

Answer 60

The royal prerogative is the prime minister’s traditional power to make decisions, like military action, without consulting Parliament. This has been challenged in recent years to ensure more parliamentary oversight.

Question 61

What challenge to legitimation occurred in 2018 under Prime Minister Theresa May?

Answer 61

Theresa May joined a US-led attack on Syria without consulting Parliament, which angered critics like Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who felt Parliament’s role was ignored.

Question 62

What did the Gina Miller case in 2017 establish about legitimation?

Answer 62

The Supreme Court ruled that the government couldn’t start Brexit negotiations without Parliament’s approval, reinforcing that major changes require parliamentary consent.

Question 63

Why is there debate about how well Parliament fulfills its role in legitimation?

Answer 63

The UK lacks a written constitution clearly defining government powers versus Parliament’s role, leading to conflicts like those seen in the Syria strikes and Brexit negotiations.