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A Level Government and Politics (Edexcel) > 6.2 - The House of Commons and the House of Lords > Flashcards

6.2 - The House of Commons and the House of Lords Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the House of Commons?

A

Parliament’s democratically elected chamber.

Each MP represents a constituency of around 70,000 people.

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2
Q

How many MPs are from England?

A

533.

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3
Q

How many MPs are from Scotland?

A

59.

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4
Q

How many MPs are from Wales?

A

40.

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5
Q

How many MPs are from Northern Ireland?

A

18.

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6
Q

How can MPs be divided?

A

Frontbench
Backbench

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7
Q

Why are front benchers required to follow party leadership?

A

Collective Ministerial Responsibility.

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8
Q

How do parties maintain discipline for voting?

A

Appointment of party whips.

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9
Q

What can the punishment for not following the party be?

A

The party whip can be withdrawn, removing them from the party.

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10
Q

Who is required to be impartial in the Commons?

A

The Speaker.

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11
Q

What powers are reserved with the speaker?

A

They can discipline misbehaving MPs via suspension.

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12
Q

What is the role of the leader of the opposition?

A

Scrutinise the policies of the government are thoroughly scrutinised.

Convince the public that the opposition is an alternative government in waiting.

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13
Q

How has the opposition been able to scrutinise the government from a funding perspective?

A

Claiming Short money from public funds to finance the leader of the opposition’s office.

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14
Q

When does the leader of the opposition go head to head with the PM, weekly?

A

PM Question Time.

He is allowed six questions to ask.

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15
Q

What is the House of Lords?

A

The unelected chamber of Westminster Parliament.

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16
Q

Why do the HoL have less authority than the HoC?

A

They are not democratically elected, and cannot claim the democratic legitimacy that the HoC can.

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17
Q

What did the HoL used to be made up of?

A

Was composed of hereditary peers.

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18
Q

Why did the Life Peerages Act improve the professional legitimacy of the HoL?

A

Their appointment to the Lords is based on the service they have provided the nation rather than just their family title.

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19
Q

Why do many peers not take up a party whip in the Lords?

A

The House of Lords is less influenced by party politics than the House of Commons as they are appointed because of their service to the nation.

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20
Q

What is the convention on Lords appointments relative to the Commons?

A

Appointments should be made roughly based on the configuration of the Commons.

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21
Q

Why are the debates in the Lords more courteous than the Commons?

A

The Lords focuses on scrutiny and revising legislation.

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22
Q

What are the main functions of the Commons?

A
  • Legitimation
  • Legislation
  • Scrutiny
  • Representation
  • Debate
  • Providing Government
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23
Q

What are the main functions of the Lords?

A
  • Legislation
  • Scrutiny
24
Q

What was Parliament initially established for?

A

Provide consent that would legitimise the decisions of the monarch.

25
Q

Why do parliamentary bills require the consent of the Commons?

A

Legitimation is the Commons main function as a democratically elected government.

26
Q

What is the convention on military action?

A

It is practice to now consult the Commons over committing British forces to action.

27
Q

Why is the legitimising role of the Commons controversial?

A

The UK does not have a codified constitution determining the powers the Commons has in relation to the government.

28
Q

What are Henry VIII clauses?

A

The delegation of the details of Acts of Parliament to government ministers.

29
Q

Why are Henry VIII clauses criticised?

A

There is far less Commons scrutiny and significant changes to the law can be made without any input from the Commons.

30
Q

What is the legislative function of the Commons?

A

The process via which parliamentary bills become law.

31
Q

Why are there criticisms of the Commons legislative process?

A

The government has too much power over the overall process via whips, large majorities, composition of Public Bill Committees.

32
Q

Why has the composition of Public Bill Committees been criticised?

A

The membership is proportionate to party strength in the Commons.

33
Q

What parliamentary act was criticised for it’s legislative process?

A

ASBOs.
Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

The criteria was so poorly worded that excessive singing or rudeness to neighbours would count as an ASBO, as there was such a massive Labour majority in the Commons at the time.

34
Q

How can majority parties have bills defeated in the Commons?

A

If their MPs rebel.

35
Q

What is a public bill committee?

A

Once a bill has passed it’s second reading in the Commons, its details are then considered by a Public Bill Committee, when possible amendments will be discussed.

36
Q

What is a select committee?

A

A small number of MPs investigate works of the departments of state, but can also focus on specific subjects.

37
Q

What is parliamentary privilege?

A

MPs and peers are protected from being sued for libel or slander to ensure that MPs and peers have freedom of speech.

38
Q

How can the Commons scrutinise the government?

A

Public Bill Committees.

39
Q

Why are public bill committees often criticised?

A

They are too politically partisan.

40
Q

Why are MPs in the committee forced to support the party line?

A

MPs who sit on the committee are selected by the whips.

41
Q

Why were select committees introduced?

A

They were introduced to monitor the performance of the major departments of state.

42
Q

In what instances have select committees also been set up?

A

To look at specific policy committments, such as HS2.

43
Q

What is the membership of a select committee normally?

A

11.

44
Q

Why do select committees differ from public committees?

A

Select committees are non-partisan.
Public committees are partisan.

45
Q

Why are select committees non-partisan?

A

Each political party votes on the membership, rather than being chosen by the whips.

The chair is voted on by MPs as a whole.

46
Q

Why are chairs of select committees elected?

A

They have cross-party support, and likely also have some prior experience to scrutinise the department of state.

47
Q

Who is Sarah Wollaston?

A

Former MP who was chair of the Health and Social Care Committee.

She was previously a GP giving her ample expertise and confidence to scrutinise the Department of Health and Social Care.

48
Q

What is the liaison committee?

A

Represents the chairs of all the select committees and questions the PM (usually) three times a year.

49
Q

Why is the liaison committee often better than PMQT?

A

It’s form of questioning is far less confrontational and its form of questioning allows greater opportunities for extended discussion.

50
Q

How should MPs balance their voting in the Commons?

A

They should find a balance between demands of the party whips, constituents and their conscience.

51
Q

What is the Salisbury Convention?

A

Since the Lords cannot claim democratic legitimacy, the Lords will not seek to stop legislation that was in the governing parties manifesto.

52
Q

Why is the Lords unable to stop bills that have passed in the Commons?

A

As a non-elected chamber, and in accordance with the Salisbury Convention, the Lords is unable to stop bills passed in the Commons.

53
Q

Why do the Lords play an important part in the legislative process?

A

The life peers possess important roles in the legislative process.

54
Q

Why does the large number of crossbench Lords serve as a benefit for legislation?

A

They are not influenced by the dictates of the whips, and can vote with their conscience and expertise.

55
Q

How does the Lords scrutinise the work of government?

A

Via committees and oral questions to ministers.

56
Q

What do committees in the Lords focus on?

A

Major political issues such as:
* The EU Committee
* Science and Technology Committee
* International Relations Committee etc.

A Level Government and Politics (Edexcel) (74 decks)

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