Composition of the Commons and Lords

Question 1

How many MP’s are there in the HOC?

Answer 1

650

Question 2

Why was there 4 less seats in the 2005 general election?

Answer 2

as there was a change resulting from the work of the Boundary Commissions

Question 3

Who was the youngest MP elected in the 2010 general election at age 25 ?

Answer 3

Pamela Nash , Labour

Question 4

Who was the youngest MP elected in the 2015 general election at 20?

Answer 4

Mhairi Black, SNP

Question 5

What party was Pamela Nash age 25 , elected an MP in the 2010 general election ?

Answer 5

Labour

Question 6

What party was Mhairi Black age 20 , elected an MP in the 2010 general election ?

Answer 6

SNP

Question 7

What was the % of women as MP’s in 2015 general election?

Answer 7

29%

Question 8

What % of women were elected as MP’s in 2010 general election?

Answer 8

22%

Question 9

What % of women were elected as MP’s in 2005 general election?

Answer 9

19%

Question 10

From 2005-2015, what was the % difference between the amount of women MP’s?

Answer 10

19-29%

10 % increase

Question 11

What % of ethnic minority MP’s were elected in 2015 general election?

Answer 11

6%

Question 12

What % of ethnic minority MP’s were elected in 2010 general election?

Answer 12

4%

Question 13

What % of ethnic minority MP’s were elected in 2005 general election?

Answer 13

2%

Question 14

What does the resemblance theory of representation hold the view of?

Answer 14

that the legislature should be typical of the communities that they serve

Question 15

What would a more representative Commons lead to? (2)

Answer 15

• a better understanding of issues facing some communities

- ethnic minorities having more faith in the legislature

Question 16

Why is resemblance not always important ?

Answer 16

as a good MP will represent all constituents of the best of their ability irrespective of ethnicity, religion or gender

Question 17

How did the Conservatives have an inbuilt Tory majority before the HOL Act 199?

Answer 17

as they had 471 peers to Labours 179

Question 18

How many peers in the HOL did Conservatives and Labour have immediately before the HOL Act 1999?

Answer 18

Con-471

Lab-179

Question 19

What were hereditary peers known as due to the fact they only showed up to block radical legislation?

Answer 19

“backwoodsmen”

Question 20

Why was the term “backwoodsmen”given to hereditary peers?

Answer 20

as they only ever attended when they were needed to block radical ideas

Question 21

Why can party ties to Lords be seen as weak?

Answer 21

as the Lords have security of tenure and therefore cannot be rid of by not toeing the party line

Question 22

Currently, how many peers are there eligible to take part in the HOL?

Answer 22

800

Question 23

How many peers were there in 2011 eligible to take part and sit in the HOL?

Answer 23

763

Question 24

Under what Act does the process by which life peers are appointed date back to?

Answer 24

Life Peerages Act 1958

Question 25

Although the monarch technically confers life peerages, who really has the free rein?

Answer 25

the PM

Question 26

What is the PM bound by when appointing peers to the HOL?

Answer 26

bound by convention

Question 27

How is the PM bound by convention when appointing peers to the HOL?

Answer 27

as the PM must invite nominations from opposition parties who are then scrutinised by the HOL Appointments Commission

Question 28

What is a problem with the fact that when appointing peers the PM is only bound by the convention to invite nominations from opposition parties who are then scrutinised by the HOL Appointments Commission?

Answer 28

neither check presents an insurmountable obstacle

Question 29

What % of the HOL is female?

Answer 29

24%

Question 30

What is the average age of the HOL?

Answer 30

69

Question 31

What did the rapid increase in the number of Labour peers after 1997 lead to accusations of?

Answer 31

cronyism (“Tony’s cronies”)

Question 32

What was the introduction of “peoples peers” supposed to address?

Answer 32

the problem of cronyism

Question 33

What reignited the debate of cronyism in 2005?

Answer 33

Tony Blair’s elevation of special adviser Andrew Adonis to the Lords and straight into government as education minister

Question 34

What 3 ways can the power to appoint life peers be used for?

Answer 34

1) bringing people into the cabinet
2) getting ride of potentially troublesome Common backbenchers
3) reward for political service

Question 35

How can the power to appoint life peers be used to bring people into the cabinet?

Answer 35

as the PM wouldn’t have to wait for a Commons by-election

Question 36

Give an example of when the PM used the power to appoint life peers to bring someone into the cabinet?

Answer 36

• Gus MacDonald

- Andrew Adonis

Question 37

What is an example of when the power to appoint life peers was used to rid of potentially troublesome Common backbenchers?

Answer 37

in the case of former leader Margret Thatcher

Question 38

Who is an example of when the power to appoint life peers was used to reward for political service?

Answer 38

Blairs private pollster Philip Gould in 2004

Question 39

Who was Philip Gould who Blair appointed a life peer?

Answer 39

Blairs private pollster

Question 40

When did Blair appoint his private pollster Philip Gould a life peer for political service ?

Answer 40

2004