2.4 - The Way In Which Parliament Interacts With Executive

Question 1

What is parliamentary privilege

Answer 1

The right of MPs, Lords to make certain statements within parliament without being subject to outside influence including law.
- essentially ensures MP and peers enjoy the right to freedom of speech

Question 2

How are backbench MPs playing an increasingly significant role in scrutinising gov activity?

Answer 2

• creation of the backbench business committee in 2010, chooses topic of debate on 35 days of parliamentary session, with some subjects chosen in response to e-petitions, requiring 100k signatures.
• a rise in backbench rebellions against gov measures, eg: 35% of MPs rebelled in divisions from 2010-2015
• also an increase in number of ‘urgent questions’

Question 3

What are the limits on the influence of backbenchers

Answer 3

• MPs can use various methods to draw attention to issues, but doesn’t mean any action will be taken
• the 10 minute rule, can only speak for 10 mins on a subject before start of a official business on certain days
• power of patronage and ties of party loyalty, reinforces by the party whips remain important factors in the common

Question 4

What do select committees do?

Answer 4

• there are select committees to scrutinise the party, administration, and spending of each government department

Question 5

What do non-departmental select committees do?

Answer 5

• the public accounts committee examines government expenditure, seesmimg to ensure that value for money is being obtained
• the laison committee questions the PM twice a year across the whole field of government policy
• the committee on standards oversees the work of the parliamentary commissioner on standards

Question 6

Why are select committees important

Answer 6

• their work is respected because it is evident based, as their headings are televised and reported in the media, they also air issues of public interest
• committees also now scrutinise legislation, as well as holding pre-appointments hearings to interview candidates for public roles
• long serving members, will inevitably have more knowledge then a minister, with some select committee individuals becoming considerable public figures
• have a direct impact on government policy

Question 7

Why shouldn’t the importance of select committees be over exaggerated

Answer 7

• a majority of select committee members are drawn from the governing party
• committees can only cover a limited range of topics in depth
• high turnover rate for membership of committees and some MPs do not attend regularly
• gov accepts around 40% of recommendations, rarely involving major changes of policy
• in current parliament, 18/27 of select committees come from Labour Party, with the 174 majority, won’t be as effective in holding gov to account

Question 8

How are House of Lords commiteees different to those of the House of Commons

Answer 8

• they do not shadow government departures, instead scrutinising legislation and investigating particular issues, eg the constitution committed, examining public bills for their constitutional implications

Question 9

What is the role and signicance of the opposition in parliament

Answer 9

• take the lading role in responding to the government programme set out in the annual queen speech, and replies to chancellor of the exchequer budget speech
• allocated 20 days a year to propose subjects for debate, 17 for second biggest party, 3 days for third

Question 10

What is the purpose of short money

Answer 10

• helps opposition parties carry out their parliamentary business
• helps with running costs of leader of oppositions office
• conservatives cut amount available after 2015 general election

Question 11

What are PMQs

Answer 11

• held every Wednesday for 30 mins
• it obliges the PM to engage with opposition on a number of topics
• Tony Blair historically hates PMQs, showing how it’s regarded as a significant event

Question 12

What is a limitation of PMQs

Answer 12

• critics claims it reveals more about their personalities (PM + Opposition Leader) then it does about gov policy
• eg: clashes between Corbin and Cameron, Cameron once criticising Corbyn’s suit
• MPs on gov side will ask planted questions, pre prepared to make the PM look good

Question 13

What are ministerial questions

Answer 13

• ministers answer questions about their departments
• usually entails more detailed questions

Question 14

What are examples of backbenchers exerting influence through rebelling against government bills?

Answer 14

• Theresa May defeated 33 times when she had a minority gov
  EG: she lost 432-202 (118 torries against) on her Brexit withdrawal agreement
• Boris Johnson defeated 12 times in 6 months with minority gov, and 4 times in 3 years with majority gov
• some of the serious rebellions aren’t recorded, because gov will drop the proposal
  EG: April 2024, Gov paused Criminal justice act, as 40 cons MPs threatened to rebel and defeat the bill, including high profile backbenchers like Sir Iain Duncan Smith

Question 15

Why May the influence of backbenchers be limited when there is a majority gov?

Answer 15

• Blair defeated just 4 times in 10 years in office, even Sunak was just defeated 1 time
• in the 2022/23 parliamentary session, gov introduced 56 bills,with 43 getting royal assent
• Starmer with a majority of 174 hasn’t been defeated yet
• MPs are influenced by party ties and power of patronage, they want to retain their seat in hopes of serving gov one day, in 2019-24 parliament, majority of MPs rebelled against party line less then 2% of the time, only 8MPs rebelling more than 5% of thr time

Question 16

How can backbenchers exert influence through debates and questions

Answer 16

• allow them to scrutinise gov on certain issues, their use has increased hugely under speaker Bercow, and speaker Hoyle, who has averaged around 0.6 urgent questions a day.
• example of an urgent question having influence was in April 2018 : Amber Rudd had to answer a Q posed by shadow Home Secretary about deportation targets in home office and windrush scandal, leading to her resignation
• allow debates from the backbench business committee, chooses topic for 24 days each parliamentary session, EG: 5 Dec 2024, con MP Sur iain Duncan Smith led a debate on issue of detained British nationals abroad, expressing concern over risk of human rights abuses and lack of support, this gained media attention which helped raise importance on the issue

Question 17

Why might backbencher questions and debates have little influence over gov policy

Answer 17

• MPs today spend less time in HOC debating then they used to, from 2006-21 spend just 24% of their time in the chamber
• not a lot of attention given from public towards debates in parliament

Question 18

How does backbenchers influence in public bill commiteee suggest they may have an influence in parliament

Answer 18

• 16-50MPs take part in these committees, and can propose amendments, EG: Passenger Railway services act was passed Nov 2024
• they also promote private members bills, in the ‘10 minute rule’, these allow them to pass legislation with Cross party support, eg: the abortion act 1967 legalising abortion
• 16 private member bills introduced by ballot at start of 22-23 session were successful EG: Employment act 2023, guarantees tips to workers

Question 19

Why are public bill committees limited

Answer 19

• gov has majority in these committees, usually defeating amendments it doesn’t support
• in the 22/23 session, of the 297 private member bills introduced only 8% got royal assent