backbenchers

Question 1

Name one thing backbenchers are useful for?

Answer 1

They are useful in the sense that they represent their constituents which enable the people to have a voice

Question 2

Name a second thing backbenchers are useful for?

Answer 2

They are engaged in private money bill which is a bill which is a bill produced by members of the house of lords and commons who do not hold ministerial positions

Question 3

name a third thing backbenchers are useful for?

Answer 3

Backbenchers are also significant in scrutinising the government through committees - i.e select committees

Question 4

name a fourth thing backbenchers are useful for?

Answer 4

They have ran the commons backbenchers business committee of which in 2010 ran 300 debates ranging from topic such as prisoners rights to the hillsborough disaster

Question 5

name a limitation of backbenchers?

Answer 5

They are controlled by whips and although they have 37% rebellion of divisions in parliament from 2010 to the present - the government have only been defeated 7 times

Question 6

give evidence of the usefulness of backbenchers

Answer 6

Meg Russel analysed government bills and found that they were successfully amended due to parliamentary pressure 60% of which were substantive.