Democracy: Representation Flashcards
Work of MSPs constituency
Visiting schools, holding surgeries, attending important events
Visiting schools example
Ben MacPherson had visited Drummond to speak to pupils about politics
Holding surgeries example
Ben MacPherson holds surgeries every Monday and Friday
MSPs attending events example
Ben MacPherson attended the Save Leith Walk campaign
Work of MSPs in parliament
Taking part in debates, taking part in question time, proposing new bills
MSPs debates in parliament example
MSPs debated smacking children before it was banned
MSPs question time example
FM question time takes place on Thursdays
Proposing new bills example
Monica Lennon introduced the Period Products Bill to make period products free to people who need them
Composition of committees
Made up of members from all parties (proportionate to members, SNP will have the most members)
Leadership shared (also proportionate, most committee chairs will be SNP members)
Not members of government (FM asks questions to a committee rather than for a committee)
Purpose of committees
Conduct enquiries, hold government to account, scrutinise legislation
Conduct enquiries example
The Education and Skills Committee conducted a requirement into the recruitment of teachers
Hold Government to account example
The Education and Skills Committee asked John Swinney to explain what happened with cancelled exams in 2020 and 2021, and how education continued during the pandemic
Scrutinise legislation example
The Health and Sports Committee reviewed the Organ Donation Bill before recommending that all of parliament supports it
Groups that are underrepresented in parliament
Ethnic minorities, women
Ethnic minorities underrepresented example
Before 2021, less than 2% of MSPs were from an ethnic minority background compared to 4-5% of the population
Women underrepresented example
There has only ever been one woman in charge of Scotland’s democracy
Reasons why people are underrepresented
Incumbency effect, lack of role models, racism (ethnic minorities), sexism (women)
Incumbency effect examples
Ethnic minorities: For the first 20 years of the Scottish Parliament, 98% of MSPs were white
Women: For the first 20 years of parliament the share of female MSPs was never higher than 37%
Lack of role models examples
Ethnic minorities: There were only ever 4 MSPs from an ethnic minority group in the first 20 years of the Scottish Parliament
Women: There has only ever been one woman in charge of Scotland’s democracy
Sexism example
It was reported by the Sunday post that women are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience abuse online than men
Racism example
Humza Yousaf spoke to the BBC about how racism has been getting worse and how he receives death threats
