Function of the Lords

Question 1

Question

Answer 1

Evaluate the view that House of Lords is effective at fulfilling its main functions.

Question 2

Factors

Answer 2

• Legislation
• Representation
• Scrutiny

Question 3

Judgement

Answer 3

The Lords isn’t effective in fulfilling its main functions.

Question 4

Weaker argument - legislation

Answer 4

→ Approximately one-quarter of Lords are crossbenchers, peers are more able to express their own views.
→ In December 2020 the Lords forced the government to U-turn over the internal markets bill to protect the rights of devolved politicians.
→ In 2016 the Lords rebelled over the Dubs Amendment which sought to compel the government to accept its ‘fair share’ of children from Syria.

Question 5

Stronger argument - legislation

Answer 5

→ All defeats by the Lords on both the EU Withdrawal Bill and the Article 50 Bill were overturned in the Commons.
→ The Salisbury Convention means the House of Lords doesn’t oppose measure in the manifesto of the elected government - Brexit, Rwanda Bill.
→ The Health and Social Care Bill 2012 proceeded with most of its content intact since the amendments made in the Lords were overturned in the Commons.

Question 6

Weaker argument - representation

Answer 6

→The Lords represents areas of expertise outside of politics: Baroness Altman speaks on behalf of pensioners as the former Director General of Saga and Lord Adebowale was chief executive of the drugs charity Turning Point.
→ They are often more willing to represent ideas that MPs are willing to raise because of the whipping system difference between the Houses.

Question 7

Stronger argument - representation

Answer 7

→ Hereditary peerages automatically pass to the first-born son - working against representing women.
→ The average age of a hereditary peer is 71.
→ Nearly half of the hereditary peers went to Eton.
→ Between all the hereditary peers they own at least 170,000 acres of land.

Question 8

Weaker argument - scrutiny

Answer 8

→ Police (Detention and Bail) Bill 2011 - The Constitution Committee highlighted constitutional implications forcing the bill to be amended.
→ Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee: This committee scrutinizes bills to assess the appropriateness of delegated powers.

Question 9

Stronger argument - scrutiny

Answer 9

→ Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006: The House of Lords faced criticism for not adequately scrutinizing this Act, which granted ministers broad powers to amend legislation with minimal parliamentary oversight.
→ PMQs and MQs allow the Commons to directly scrutinise government by making it accountable, this direct scrutiny doesn’t occur in the Lords.
→ If the government withholds information the Lords cannot effectively scrutinise - e.g. during the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2024.