Analyse the success of parliament in holding the government to account. (12 marks)

Question 1

introduction

Answer 1

There are various methods of holding the government to account. This includes activities such as First Minister’s Question Time, Members’ Bills and committees. This essay will analyse the success of parliament in holding the government to account.

Question 2

First Minister’s Question Time
SUCCESSES

Answer 2

• where leaders of other parties and some regular MSPs can question the FM, effective as opposing party MSPs can use this as an opportunity to expose the mistakes and shortcomings of party in power
• mistakes of the government will be called out
• opposing party MSPs have opportunity to embarrass the FM, effective as it often forces the First Minister into giving difficult responses

Question 3

First Minister’s Question Time
FAILURES

Answer 3

• FMQs can only run for 45 minutes once a week which is short amount of time
• FM can talk at length to kill time,means that scrutiny is limited, reduces the effectiveness of FMQs
• questions from ordinary MSPssubmitted in advance,allows the FM to be well briefed and prepared
• FM’s staff will draft high quality answers to make FM look better

Question 4

Members’ Bills
SUCCESSES

Answer 4

• member’s bill is a bill that can be introduced by ‘ordinary’ MSPs, these bills can change or remove a law
• For example, in May 2018, members’ bill from labour to repeal offensive behaviour at football act was successful, Parliament backed bill against the SNP, now does not exist

Question 5

Members’ Bills
FAILURES

Answer 5

• only around 10% of bills are members’ bills
• bill needs support from at least 18 other MSPs from at least half of the parties represented in parliament

Question 6

committees
SUCCESSES

Answer 6

• main point of committees is to scrutinise the government, these are where much of parliament’s work is completed
• In committees, MSPs take time to scrutinise legislation being discussed in parliament and suggest amendments to it, extremely successful and important as we have no second chamber in Scotland
• every piece of legislation coming from the government will have come under the scrutiny of one or more of the committees
• committees can conduct inquiries into current government legislation and grill government ministers

Question 7

committees
FAILURES

Answer 7

government don’t need to act on advice from committee inquiries, indicates that committees are largely ‘toothless’ regarding influence over the government.