ETVT backbenchers can hold the government to account Flashcards
Use of Question time CAN
Backbenchers can hold the government to account and effectively fulfil its function of scrutiny through parliamentary questions, these include urgent questions, emergency debates and at PMQs.
The most prominent example of question time is PMQs sees the PM questioned by backbenchers.
Urgent questions can be asked by backbenchers to party ministers, they have to be granted by the speaker of the house, and the relevant government minister must come to the chamber in order to answer it.
There has been a huge increase in urgent questions posed to the government in recent years, during the 07-08 session only 4 urgent questions were asked, whereas 307 urgent questions were answered during the 2017.
There was a greater willingness of John Bercow to answer parliamentary questions, this trend has continued under Lindsay Hoyle. Under the previous speaker there were 0.02 UQs a day, under Bercow this rose to 0.88.
In 2018 Amber Rudd summoned back to Parliament twice after appearing to give MPs false information about the governments use of deportation targets, she was shortly forced to resign as home secretary.
In addition, Emergency Debates have been increasingly granted, for example the Emergency Debate granted to discuss the crisis in Ukraine. During this debate the Government were asked detailed questions about what they were doing to support the Ukrainian Government.
Use of Questions cant
PMQs is the most theatrical form of question time, MPs spend significant time trying to score political points rather than scrutinise the executive in detail, for example Backbencher Diana Johnsons recent question over ‘Partygate’, she claimed the PM was trying to convince people he was ‘stupid rather than dishonest’.
‘Punch and Judy politics’
Labour MP Gerald Kaufman described PMQs as an ‘Exchange of pointless and useless declamations’.
There has been reports of clucking, barking and roaring during PMQs, when Cameron joked that Ed Miliband was ‘Alex Salmond’s poodle’ in 2015, Tory MPs made barking noises.
Former speaking John Bercow once told off Labour MP Ian Lucas for letting out a ‘lions roar’
PMQs is a coordinated by Downing Street, pre-prepared questions are handed out to backbenchers. Conservative MP Andrew Percy once disclosed an email sent by Downing Street to backbench Tories suggesting a set of questions about how well the governments ‘long term economic plan’ was going.
Munira Wilson in 2023 asked a urgent question on child strip searches, the homes secretary and the policing minister did not turn up.
Select committes can
Public Bill committees are established to consider particular bills after it has successfully completed its second reading. According to the think tanks, The Democratic Audit in 2015 over 99% of ministerial amendments moved at the committee stage succeed. Around 3/5 of bill committee members have the relevant specialist knowledge and expertise on the subject.
Departmental select committees, each one shadows the work of the government and scrutinises specific departments. In June 2014, the Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, a doctor who had previously been critical of the Government’s health policies, was elected as the new Chair of the Health Committee. University College London traced policy recommendations from seven select committees from 1997-2010 and found that the government acted upon 44% of their recommendations.
The DCMS Select Committee were critical of the Government’s Online Safety Bill saying it did not go far enough to tackle harmful content online – despite a Conservative majority on the Committee.
Liasson committee brings together all 35 chairs of the commons select committees to question the PM, important aspect of parliamentary scrutiny.
2 yearly appearances of the PM, in May 2020 during the Covid-19 crisis the committee held its first session with PM Johnson, and questioned him on the governments handling of the crisis and Dominic Cummings.
Select committee reports receive a good deal of publicity, for example in 2016 the Health Committee recommended a 20% tax on surgery drinks in an effort to discourage people from drinking them, in the same year Chancellor George Osborn was pressured to introduce such tax.
Wright reforms 2010 introduce election through a secret ballot, the party whips now no longer had significant influence over select committee members or their chairs.
Health select committee 2011 helped persuade the government into making significant changes to the Health and social care bill.
Select committes CANT
Governments can ignore recommendations. 66% of all select committee rulings/recommendations are ignored.
A majority government will also have a majority in the select committees, furthermore ministers and civil servants are not legally required to provided much information when questioned and access to documents may be declined.
Select committee chairs are paid significantly less than even the most junior ministers, salary and career minded MPs it may be more tempting to follow the party whip and work to get a ministerial position rather than provide the government with effective scrutiny.
July 2020, the government nominated five MP to the intelligence and security committee and sought to have Chris Grayling installed as Chair, however the committee went against the government advice and chose Julian Lewis as Chair instead. A unhappy number 10 then removed the whip from Lewis, to much anger from backbencher from all parties.
Petitions committees report on the impact of Covid-19 on new parents, did not receive a government response within the required 2 months.
Lord Frost appeared in front of the European scrutiny committee, the committee is made up of largely hardliner Brexiters who according to the guardian ‘will go to great lengths to do anything but scrutinise’. The star witness was the Brexit minister.
Privileges committee currently has a conservative majority.
Legislation CAN
Backbenchers can rebel against government legislation; in this case they are effective and can hold the government to account.
Wright committee reforms 2010, established the Back Bench Business committee and hand more power to the backbenchers in the commons, the executive control over the timetable has weekend.
The BBBC provides them with an opportunity to put forward ideas for debate that might provide scrutiny of the government. For example, on the 21st of April 2022 a backbench debate was held on the two-child limit for universal credit – a key government policy.
Backbench MPs provide greater checks on government policy than in the past, with increased incidents of rebellion as a constraint on government action.
MPs rebelled in 35% of votes between 2010-2015, that was the highest number recorded as of 2015.
On the 9th November 2005 the government was defeated by backbench MPs when they attempted to make amendments to the Terrorism Bill allowing terrorist suspected to be held without charge for 90 days was defeated 291-322, despite the conservatives having a majority in the commons.
Backbenchers can initiate legislation, Private Member Bills are presented by individual MPs at the start of a year and names are placed in a ballot, 20 bills are chosen and are guaranteed at least one reading.
For example the Assaults on emergency workers Act 2018 presented by labour backbencher Chris Bryant was chosen from the ballot In the 2017-19 session.
Legislation cant
Backbenchers remain with low power over legislation despite the Wright reforms and the backbench business committee 2010.
Whips can enforce backbenchers to comply with government legislation, if they refuse they are at risk of getting the whip withdrawn.
The government won a key vote on a Fracking Bill In October of 2022, where there have been accusation that tory MPs were ‘bullied and manhandled’ into voting for the government motion.
PMBs have little chance of success without government support.
Still remain with little influence over legislation, in 2015 only 16% of acts of parliament were PMBs, 2015 Christopher Chope introduced 119 PMBs into the house and not one became law, lack of government backing.
