3.1.1.2 the structure and role of parliament Flashcards
in 2015 what was the vote in favour of military action in syria
397 to 223
House of Commons
The lower chamber, and the primary chamber, of the UK legislature. It is directly elected by voters.
House of Lords
The upper chamber of the UK legislature. It is not directly elected by voters
Bicameralism
this term describes a politcal system in which there are two chambers in the UK legislature
Advantages of Bicameralism
-the upper house provides checks and balances
-provides gretaer scruntiny and revision of legislature
-represents different interests
Disadvantages of Bicameralism
-institutional conflict between the two houses which produces legislative gridlock
-indirectly elected upper house may frustrate the will of the democratically elected lower house
legislature
the branch of government responsible for passing laws
parliament
an assembly that has the power to debate and make laws.
how many MPs are there in the HoC?
650
how is each member elected?
FPTP
Is the number of MPs fixed?
No. In 2016, the Conservative government confirmed its commitment to cut the number of MPs to 600 and equalise constituency size by 2020
what are ministers and shadow ministers known as
front benchers
what are MPs that have no ministerial or shadow ministerial posts also known as
backbenchers
majority of MPs that come from a party, what is the exception
Sylvia Hermon, once a Ulster Unionist MPs, was re-elected as an independent in north down in 2010 and 2015.
parliamentary privilege
The legal immunity enjoyed by MPs, particularly their right to free speech in parliament
What was the average MP salary in 2016
£75,000
two elements of parlaimentary privilege
-freedom of speech
-exclusive cognisance
freedom of speech
Members of both houses are free to raise any issue in parliament without fear of prosecution
exclusive cognisance
this is the right of each houses to regulate its own internal affairs without interference from outside bodies
divisons
a vote in parliament
whip
a party offical responsible for ensuring that MPs turn up to parliamentary votes and follow party instructions on how to vote
what are the three main roles of whips
-ensuring that MPs attend parliamentary divisions and approving the absence of MPs when their vote isn’t required
-issuing instructions on how MPs should vote
-enforcing discipline within the parlaimentary party
what is the role of the speaker?
Presides over debate in the chain by selecting MPs to speak and maintaining order. They may temporarily suspend MPs who break Parliamentary rules.
how is the speaker elected
by MPs through secret ballot
hereditary peers
a member of the house of lords who, since 1999, has been selected from those who inherited their title
life peer
a member of the house of lords who has been appointed to the chamber for their lifetime
peer
a member of the house of lords
different categories of members in house of commons
-hereditary peers
-life peers
-lords spiritual
what did the house of lords 1999 act do to hereditary peers
ended the right but all of 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the lords
how many hereditary peers were there before the 1999 act
750
peerages act 1963
-allowed hereditary peers to renouce their titles and membership of the lords.
-allowed douglas-home to leave the lords and win by by-election to the house of commons when he became Conservative party leader and prime minister in 1963
-also allowed for women hereditary peers to sit
the life peerages act 1958
gave the prime minister the right to appoint members to the upper house for life
what was significant about the 1958 and 1999 act together
they brought about signifcant changes to the composition and working of the house of lords. the creation of the life peers increased the diveristy and professionalism.
in november 2016 how many female peers were there
211 (26% of the lords compared to 9% in 1999)
proposals of reform to the house of lords
-Free vote 2003 - MPs had a free vote on seven options proposed by a parlaimentary joint committee
-White Paper 2007 - hybrid house, 50% elected 50% appointed
-House of Lords bill 2012 - proposed a chamber of 360 elected members 90 appointed members 12 bishops and 8 ministerial members
Exclusive powers of the house of commons
-the right to insist on legislation - in cases of conflict over legislation the lords should ultimately give way to the commons
-financial privilege - the lords cannot delay or amend money bills
-the power to dismiss the executive - if the government is defeated on a motion of no confidence, it must resign
what legislation underpins the commons primacy
parliament act of 1911 and 1949
conventions covering the relationship
-the sailsbury doctrine - bills implementing manifesto commitments should not be opposed by the lords
-reasonable time - the lords should consider government business with a reasonable time
-secondary legislation - the lords does not usually object to secondary legislation
The parliament act
The House of Lords does not have a veto over legislation approved by the House of Commons. It can onlt delay bills fro up to one year, Prior to 1911, it could block bills passed by the commons indefinitely. The parliament act 1911 restricted this veto power to two parliamentary sessions, which was reduced to one by the parliament act 1949.
what bills have been passed without consent of the laws
-war crimes act 1911
-European parliamentary election act 1999
-sexual offences (amendments) act 2000
-hunting act 2004
financial privilege
-The house of lords cannot delay or amend money bills. the parliament act 1911 states that any bill certified by the speaker as a money bill which is not passed by the lords unamended within a month can recieve royal assent without the agreement of the lords.
-The commons can also claim finacial privilege when the lords passes an amendment to legislation that has finacial implications, such as creating new spending.
examples of times finacial privilege was used
welfare reform bill 2012
counter terrorism 2008
identity cards 2010
support for child refugees 2016
confidence and supply
-the commons can remove the government by defeating it in a motion of no confidence. the lords does not vote on confidence motions.
-before 2011, defeat in the commons on such a motion or on the queens speech would trigger the resignation of the government
how many confidence votes have there been since 1945
23 votes of no confidence and 3 of confidence
examples of no confidence votes
James Callaghan 1979 - lost by one vote
Theresa May 2019 - won 325 to 306
Boris Johnson 2022 - won 211 to 148
fixed term parliament act 2011
clarified and limited what is treated as a confidence motion. Only a commons motion stating ‘that this house has no confidence in His majesty’s government’ is now treated as a motion of no confidence. if passed, and no alternative government is approved by the commons within 14 days, parliament is dissolved and a general election is called
the sailsbury convention
The Sailsbury Convention states that the House of Lords should not vote against a bill that seeks to an act manifesto commitment of the governing party on second or third reading no should it agree wrecking amendments
times the sailsbury convention has come under strain
-in 2006 pairs voted against an identity card bill despite it featuring in labour is 2005 manifesto. They argue that leave I have not won sufficient support of the election to claim a democratic mandate and that the convention was outdated as it relates to a time when the other house has the inbuilt conservative majority.
-lib dem conservative 2010 coalition
reasonable time convention
-The government needs to get its legislative proposals through parliament in a reasonable time. Whereas the government has significant control of the parliamentary timetable in the commons, it does not have this in the lords.
-the convention thus emerged that laws should consider all government business within a reasonable time
secondary legislation and the lords
-Parliament delegates to ministers the authority to issue secondary legislation which brings into force or amends part of an act. The parliament act do not cover legislation but it is a convention that the lords does not usually reject it.
-the review recommended that the commons should be able to override any lords vote to rejct secondary legislation.
-May’s government announced that it had no plans to curb the power of the lords
a more assertive house of lords
since the removal of hereditary peers the house of lords has become more assertive in the legislative process
-blair and brown were defeated 7 times in the commons but over 400 in the lords. moat of these happened on judicial and constitutional matters as they are of a particular interest of the peers
-many key provisions in bills are dropped liek the public bodies bill 2010-12, including plans to privatise the forestry committee
4 factors that have increased effectiveness of the house of lords
-party balance
-enhanced legitimacy
-government mandate
-support from MPs
party balance
-No party has a majority in the house of lords, so governments must win cross-party support for their legislation.
-The votes of Lib dem proved crucial - if they vote with the opposition, the government faces defeat
-the government is most likely to give ground when it’s own peers rebel or abstain
enhanced legitimacy
the reformed lords is more confident of its legitimacy and more willing to show its strength on legal and constitutional issues
government mandate
peers have questioned whether the sailsbury convention should apply in periods of coalition or when the governing party wins the support of less than a third of the electorate
support from MPs
the lords has been most effective in forcing the government to amend its proposals when MPs, particularly backbenchers from the governing party, support from amendments
debates about relative powers
the relative powers of the two chambers reflect their different functions and legitimacy. The commons has primacy because it has the democratic legitimacy which the lords lacks.
Input legitimacy
the composition of an institution and its responsiveness to citizens’ concerns as a result of participation by, and representation of, the people.
Output legitimacy
the quality and effectiveness of an institution’s performance and outcomes for people.
input vs output in parliament
the commons has input legitimacy because of its composition (it is directly elected and accountable to voters), whereas the lords has output legitimacy becuase of what it delivers (its scruntiny and revision produces better quality legislation)
reform of the house of lords
-the house of lords reform act 1999, focused primarily on the composition of the lords rather than its relationship with the commons but changes to its membership affect the legitimacy and power of the lords.
should the house of lords be wholly elected? YES
-A fully elected House of Lords would have the legitimacy
that can only be derived from democratic elections.
- It would be more confident in its work of scrutinising
and amending government bills, thus improving the
quality of legislation.
- If no party has a majority, as would be likely under
proportional representation, it would challenge the
dominance of the executive.
- If elected by proportional representation, it would be
more representative of the electorate.
should the house of lords be wholly elected? NO
-It would come into conflict with the House of
Commons, as both Houses would claim democratic
legitimacy.
- Institutional conflict between two elected chambers
with similar powers would produce legislative gridlock.
- An appointed house would retain the expertise and
independence of crossbench peers.
- The problems associated with party control in the
House of Commons would be duplicated in an elected
upper house.
functions of parliament
-legislation
-scrutiny and legislation
-debate
-recruitment of ministers
-representation
legislation (FOP)
Parliament is the legislative branch of the political system. This indicates that parliament’s main function is making law
Bill vs Act
a bill is a draft legislative proposal that is debated in parlaiment. When a bill has completed the legislative process and enters into law it is an act of parliament.
what bills can a government produce
they can produce either a green paper or a white paper
green paper
a government document setting out various options for legislation and inviting comment
white paper
a government document setting out a detailed proposal for legislation
the legislative process
1) first reading
2) second reading
3) committee stage
4) report stage
5) Third reading
6) house of lords stage
first reading
The formal presentation of the title of the bill on the floor of the house by a minister from the resposible department. There is no debate or vote at this stage.
second reading
The main debate on the principle of the bill. The government minister explains and justifies the objectives of the bill, the shadow ministers responds and backbenchers contribute to the debate.
what happens if a bill is contested?
A vote is taken. Government defeats at second reading stage are extremely rare, occuring twice since 1945. The most recent in 1986 when the sunday trading bill was defeated by 14 votes, despite a government majority of 140
Committee stage
Bills are sent to a piblic bill committee, where detailed scruntiny of each clauses takes place and amendments can be made. Amendments are often tabled by the government as it seeks to clarify and improve the bill.
public bill committees
a committee responsible for the detailed consideration of a bill
What happens when a new bill is introduced
a new public bill committee is introduced and is named after the bill. once the bill has completed the committee is dissolved. In 2015-16, there were 22 public bill commitees
report stage
Amendments made in a committee are considered by the full house of commons. It may accept, reject or alter them. MPs not on public bill committee now have an oppourtunity to table Amendments. John major’s gov lost a report stage vote on the Maastrichts treaty in 1993, but made the issue a matter of confidence and won by 40 votes. In 2015, due to EVEL new procedures were introduced.
Third reading
A debate on the amended bill on the floor of the house. No further amendements are permitted.
House of lords stage
The bill is sent to the house of lords, where these stages are repeated. If I meant to the bitter made in the Lord is common to migrate the reject them or amend them further. Bill may go back north between the two houses in the process known as Parliamentary ping-pong.
examples of parliamentary ping pong
2010-2012, when the commons overturned a series of Lords’ amendments on legal aid and welfare reform. If an agreement cannot be reached, the government must decide whether to accept chnages made by the lords, drop a bill or invoke a parliament act.
three types a private member bill can take
-Ballot
-ten minute rule bill
-presentation
Ballot bill
Early in each parliamentary session and 20 names of MPs who wish to introduce a bill a drone in a ballot. Valet bullshit a timer on 13 Fridays in the session but simple victim to filibustering where MPs talk into the bill runs out of time. Tom MPGCalc from lobbyists are entering. Others take a pill handed out by the government. These are the negative proposals which the government supports does not wish to pursue in its Parliamentary time.
Ten minute bill
MPs have this make a speech to introduce a bill or to talk about an aspect on existing piece of legislation. If you know but get beyond this first hurdle so many MPs use this route is a means of drawing attention to a particular issue.
Presentation
An MP presents a bill on the floor of the house by introducing the name of a bill. There is no debate at this point.
examples of private members bills
Murder act 1965 and the abortion act 1967
secondary legislation
a law made by minsters, who have been grnated this authority by an act of parlaiment rather than made by parliament.
how many pieces of secondary legislation are passed every year
3500
three classifications of legislature
-policy-making legislatures
-policy influencing legislatures
-legislatures with little or no policy influence
policy making legislatures
these amend or reject legislative proposals made by the executive, and can put forward alternative bills
policy influencing legislatures
these can modify or reject legislative proposals from the executive but are unable to develop extensive legislative proposals of their own
legislatures with little or no policy influence
these are unable to modify or veto legislative proposals from the executive and cannot formulate meaningfull alternative policy proposals of their own.
accountability
The principle that an office holder or institution must account for their actions.
parliamentary scruntiny
The role of parliament in examing the policies and work of the executive, and holding it to account
why is parliamentary scruntiny and accountability an important function?
It means that the governments legislative process can be scruntinised, parliament also exercises a general scrutiny and oversight role. It scrutinises the actions of the executive and ensures government accountability by requiring ministers to explain and justify their actions.
parliamentary questions
government ministers face questions from MPs on the floor of the house. In addition to questions tabled in advance, ministers answer topical questions on issues relating to their department. Speaker Bercow has required ministers to answer urgent questions more frequently.
What does the parliamentary timetbale include?
question time sessions from each government department.
what is the most high profile event on the parliamentary timetable
prime ministers question (PMQ’s) which takes place each wednesday at noon for half an hour.
PMQ’s
Provides an oppourtunity for the leader of the opposition, the leaderr of the third largest party and backbenchers to question the prime minister.
What style of questioning did Corbyn use in the 2015-2016 session?
He tried to change the gladitorial style by asking questions sent in by the public.
evaluation of PMQ’s
provides parliamentary theatre rather than effective scruntiny
oral questions
make an important part of the business of the house but most parliamentary questions take the form of written questions to ministers requesting information on issues of written questions to ministers requesting information on issues of public policy.
in 2015-16 how many written questions were there compared to oral question
35000 written questions compared to 3600
time spent on business in house of commons (hours)
Government bills - 289
Private member bills - 61
Government motions - 47
Opposition days - 125
Backbench business - 130
Debates - 98
Questions - 332
Other - 133
The role of the opposition
The leader of the opposition has special privileges additional salary right response first prime minister made a statement and the right to ask six questions at the PMQ’s.
how much short money did the labour government recieve in 2015-16
£6.8 million but the government proposed reductions in this cost
what does the opposition rely on to survive?
short money
the work of select committees
Select Committees have extended and enhancxed parliamentary scruntiny of the executive. The overall aim is to hold the governemnt accountable for policy and decision making, and support parliament in scrutinising legislation and government spending
when were departmental select committees created?
1979
how many select committees are there?
20
how many members do select committees have
11
how are MPs elected to select committees
secret ballot
high profile cases of select committees
-Business, Energy and Industrial strategy committee (2016) - working practices at retailer Sports Direct concluded that Mike Ashley must be help accountable for extremely disturbing working practices at company
-Business, Energy and Industrial strategy committee (2016) - the sale and acquisition of high-street department store chain BHS was highly critical of Sir Phillip Green and concluded that he had a moral duty to resolve problems with the BHS pension scheme.
-Foreign Affairs Committee (2016) - UK’s intervention in Libya concluded that the UK’s 2011 actions in Libya were ill-concieved and that the other political options should have been attempted. It stated that David Cameron was ultimately responsible for the failure to develop a coherent strategy
how many signatures does a e-petition need to be discussed?
100,000
Has the backbench business committee been successful? YES
- It has given backbench MPs greater say over the
parliamentary timetable. - It has enabled debate on, and raised the profile of,
issues that would otherwise not have been discussed
in depth in parliament, including an EU referendum. - Debates initiated by the BBBC have influenced
government policy, including those on reducing fuel
and beer duty. - It was a successful vehicle for public engagement
with parliament, allocating time for debate for topics
receiving 100,000 signatures in an -petition - an
innovation that led to the creation of the Petitions
Committee.
Has the backbench business committee been successful? NO
-The government does not have to respond to, or
accept, motions passed after debates scheduled by the
BBBC.
- The government allocates time for BBC debates at
short notice and in an ad hoc way.
- The government ignored criticism from the BBBC
and forced through changes which give party groups
greater say in the election of BBC members.
- Smaller parties are under-represented: 7 BBBC
members are Conservative or Labour MPs, the other
being from the SNP.
why has the effectiveness in the recruitment and development of future government ministers has become questionable?
-Communication skills - television over parliament is where communication is displayed
-Experience - due to high turnover of MPs - 227 new in 2010, 182 in 2015 and 98 in 2017, so lack of MPs for senior positions
-Conformity - local MP have better prospects of ministerial office then rebels have. Some MPs may not aspire to Minister office and the strengthening select committees offers an alternative career route.
5 types of representation
-delegate model
-trustee model
-constituency representation
-party representation
-descriptive or functional representation
Delegate model
A delegate model is an individual selected to act on behalf of others on the basis of clear instructions. They should not depart from these instructions in order to follow their own judgement. However, MPs are not expected to act as delegates, slavishly bound by the instructions of
voters. There is unlikely to be a consensus among voters in a constituency on complex issues and ascertaining the views of the majority on every issue would be difficult. Instead MPs are representatives who are free to exercise their own judgement on issues.
Trustee model
Edmund Burke (1729-97) proposed the trustee model of representation. MPs are responsible for representing the interests of their constituents in parliament. Once elected, they are free to decide how to vote based on their own independent judgement of the merits of an issue. Burkes
perspective had a strong elitist undercurrent: it assumed that MPs knew best because they had a greater understanding of affairs of state.
Delegate
An individual authorised to act on behalf of others but who is bounds by clear instructions
Representation
The process by which an individual/s act on behalf of a larger group
Representative
An individual who acts on behalf of a larger group but is free to exercise their own judgement
Trustee
An individual who has formal responsibility for the interests of another
difference between delegates and trustee
-DELEGATES:
- Delegates are given clear instructions on how they
are to act on behalf of the people they represent.
- They must follow these instructions in full
and must not adapt them based on their own
judgement of the issues.
- They must not vote on the basis of their personal
views.
-TRUSTEES:
- Trustees should take account of the interests and
values of the group they represent but are not
bound by strict instructions from them.
- They are free to exercise their own judgement on
issues and to vote accordingly.
- They may vote according to their conscience.
Constituency representation
- MPs are expected to protect and advance the collective interests of the constituency they represent, and to represent the interests of individual constituents. Constituency work takes up around half of an MP’s time.
- MPs hold regular surgeries in which constituents can discuss problems or concerns. They may then take up grievances that individual constituents have against a public authority: for example, by contacting the relevant
body, writing to a minister or raising the issue in the Commons.
-MPs also champion the interests of their constituency as a whole - for example, by seeking investment and defending public services or key employers.
Party representation
- Political parties dominate elections. Almost all successful general election candidates are elected not for their personal beliefs and qualities, but because they represent a political party. Striking the right balance between representing the views of the local party members who selected them and of the voters who elected them can be tricky for MPs.
Descriptive representation
Descriptive representation occurs when a legislature mirrors the society it represents. In this perspective, parliament should be a microcosm of society with all major social groups included in numbers proportional
to their size in the electorate. In the UK, attention has focused on the under-representation of women in the House of Commons. The number of women MPs has risen in recent decades, reaching 208 in 2017, but women make up only 32% of the Commons compared to 51% of the UK
population.
Which party tends to have higher female candidates?
Labour
Increasing the number of women candidates
- All-women shortlists : Used by Labour in every general election since 1997 (except 2001), these gender quotas require some constituency parties to select their parliamentary candidate from a list consisting of only women - significantly boosted Labour MPs.
-Priority lists : Cameron introduced a priority list (A-list) in 2005 for the top 100 Conservative target seats. Constituency associations were required to draw up shortlists on which at least half the aspirant candidates were women.
Increasing the number of women candidates
- All-women shortlists : Used by Labour in every general election since 1997 (except 2001), these gender quotas require some constituency parties to select their parliamentary candidate from a list consisting of only women - significantly boosted Labour MPs.
-Priority lists : Cameron introduced a priority list (A-list) in 2005 for the top 100 Conservative target seats. Constituency associations were required to draw up shortlists on which at least half the aspirant candidates were women.
Was the priority lists successful?
Only 19 of the 49 female candidates were elected in the 2010 election
Under-representation in ethnic backgrounds
The number of black and minority ethnic MPs rose from 41 to 52 at the 2017 general election, but this is only 11% of the house, comapred to 14% of the population.
Under-representation in age
Young and older people are under-represented in the commons, with most MPs being in the 35 to 55 age range. The SNP’s Mhairi Black was only 20 when first elected in 2015 - the youngest MP to be elected since 1832.
Under-representation in LGBTQ+
45 MPs elected in 2017 define themselves as LGBTQ+, the highest number of the world.
Under-representation in Education
29% of MPs elected in 2017 attended a fee-paying school, compared to 7% of voters, but the number is in long-term decline. 9/10 are university graduates.
Under-representation in social class
The number of MPs who previously had manual occupations has been falling. MPs who worked in business are more likely to be conservatives, and those who worked in the public sector to be Labour.
The relationship between Parliament and the executive
an unequal one, with the executive the dominant actor. The government has significant control over the legislative process. There is a good reason for this: it the government did not have this power, it could not fulfil its mandate
or govern effectively. But executive dominance does not mean that parliament is impotent.
Key factors of the legislative-executive relations
- the government’s parlaimentary majority
- the extent of party unity
Importance of a government majority
-FPTP electoral system often, but not always, delivers a working majority for the party that wins most votes in a general election. A government with a large majority is in
a commanding position, able to push its legislation through parliament by utilising the whip system and controlling the parliamentary timetable. The larger a government’s majority, the less likely it is that the other
parties in the Commons will be able to defeat or amend government bills.
examples of governements legislative majority
With a majority of 167 at the 2001 election, the Blair government survived large rebellions from Labour backbenchers on Iraq, tuition fees and foundation hospitals. The government suffered its first Commons
defeat within months of its majority being cut to 65 at the 2005 election.
minority government
the party with the largest number of seats governs alone. It may be able to persuade a smaller party to support it
on the budget and Queen’s Speech. This is known as a ‘confidence and supply’ deal. It must still find parliamentary majorities on a bill-by-bill basis. A minority government may be relatively stable in the short term,
particularly if other parties do not want another general election. It is difficult to sustain a minority government for long, although the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 limits what counts as a confidence motion.
post war minority governments
- Wilson’s 1974 government - 301 seats, called another election in october and got a majority of 3
- May government 2017 - 317 seats
Coalition government
Two or more parties form the government, having reached a formal agreement on a legislative programme and cabinet posts.
Examples of a coalition
2010 conservative lib dem coalition
effectiveness of Backbench MPs
-The strengthening of select committees, creation of the Backbench Business Committee (BBBC) and greater use of urgent questions have given backbench MPs more opportunity to scrutinise government.
However, the high failure rate for private members’ bills suggests that backbench MPs have little impact on legislation.
-It is a common perception that MPs slavishly follow the party whip and MPs do indeed vote with their party on the overwhelming majority of divisions in the Commons. When a parliamentary rebellion occurs, it is usually small
and can easily be absorbed by a government with a working majority.
Examples of majority governments
- Thatcher 1979-1990 - 339 - 397 - 376
- Blair - 1997-2005 - 418 - 412 - 355
Has parliament become more effective?
-Parliamentary scrutiny of the executive has been enhanced in recent years by the increased assertiveness of backbench MPs and the House of Lords. In
2009, a select committee on reform of the House of Commons, chaired by Labour MP Tom Wright, recommended changes to parliamentary procedures
that enhanced parliamentary scrutiny and its agenda-setting ability:
- the election of select committee chairs and members
- the creation of the Backbench Business Committee (BBBC)
- new mechanisms for citizens to petition parliament
-The prime minister is now obliged to get parliamentary consent before calling an early election. In short, parliament now exercises significant constraint on
executive power.
Parliament and Brexit
-Brexit poses significant challenges for parliament. The 2016 EU referendum was a move away from parliamentary sovereignty towards popular sovereignty. It provoked competing claims of legitimacy. The government claimed that parliament should not frustrate Brexit but
many MPs sought to reassert parliamentary democracy. Some noted Chapter 5 Parliament that referendums are advisory rather than binding; others accepted the result but argued that the terms of withdrawal should be subject to parliamentary consent.
Is parliament an effective power check on the government? yes
-The executive’s control over the parliamentary
timetable has been weakened by the creation of
the Backbench Business Committee (BBBC) and the
greater use of urgent questions.
-Backbench MPs provide greater checks on government
policy than in the past, with increased incidents of
rebellion a constraint on government action.
- The reformed House of Lords, in which no party
has a majority, is a more effective revising chamber
- amendments made in the Lords often force the
government to rethink legislation.
- Select committees have become more influential,
with governments accepting around 40% of their
recommendations. The election of select committee
chairs and members has enhanced their independence.
Is parliament an effective power check on the government? no
- The executive exercises significant control over
the legislative timetable and MPs hoping to steer
legislation through parliament face significant
obstacles. - Government defeats are rare - most backbench MPS
from the governing party obey the whip on a majority
of votes. - The government is usually able to overturn hostile
amendments made in the House of Lords, and can
resort to the Parliament Act to bypass opposition in
the Lords. - Select committees have little power. The government
is not required to accept their recommendations
and often ignores proposals that run counter to its
preferred policy.
Has parliaments reputation improved
Parliament’s reputation was damaged by the 2009 MPs’ expenses scandal. The Hansard Society’s annual Audit of Political Engagement has traced public attitudes towards parliament. The 2017 report found that only 30% of people were satisfied with how parliament works - a partial recovery from the lows seen during the expenses scandal. More people agreed than disagreed in 2017 that parliament debates and makes decisions about issues
that matter to me’ and ‘holds the government to account. However 73% agreed that ‘parliament is essential to our democracy’.
UK/US comaprison
-The Us Congress is a bicameral legislature. The lower chamber is the House of Representatives, which consists
of 435 elected members. The Senate, which consists of 100 elected members, is the upper chamber. The two
chambers have broadly equal powers. In the UK, only the House of Commons is elected. The unelected House of
Lords is politically and legally subordinate.
-Congress is a policy-making legislature. It can reject or amend proposals from the president, and puts forward
legislative proposals of its own. Most proposals come from the president, who has the power of veto - although
this can be overridden by Congress. The UK Parliament is a policy-influencing legislature that modifies government
proposals but does not propose extensive bills of its own.
- There is a strict separation of powers in the USA. Members of the executive branch cannot be members of the legislature. The president cannot dismiss Congress, but Congress can impeach the president. The US Constitution also gives Congress the power to declare war, and Senate the power to veto appointments made by the president.
- Party discipline has grown stronger in the USA but it is still weaker than in the UK. A president cannot rely on the
support of members of his own party in Congress. Members of Congress are more independent-minded and more likely than MPs to place the interests of their constituents above those of party.
-Standing committees in Congress have significant influence over US government departments. Committee chairs are powerful figures in Congress. Departmental select committees in the UK are much less powerful.
