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UK Government > Functions of Parliament > Flashcards

Functions of Parliament Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the most significant functions of parliament? (LSDRR)

A 
Legislation
Scrutiny
Debate
Recruitment of ministers
Representation
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2
Q

What indicates that parliament’s main function is making law?

A

It is the legislative branch, or legislature, of a political system

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3
Q

What is a bill?

A

A draft legislative proposal that is debated in parliament

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4
Q

What does a bill become when it has completed the legislated process and enters law?

A

An Act of Parliament

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5
Q

What are the most significant bills?

A

Public bills

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6
Q

What is a public bill?

A

A bill concerning a general issue of public policy, introduced by a government minister.

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7
Q

How many public bills are generally introduced every session?

A

Between 25 and 35

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8
Q

Where is the government’s legislative programme set out?

A

In the Queen’s Speech at the beginning of a parliamentary session

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9
Q

What is a green paper?

A

A government document that sets out various options for legislation and invited comment

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10
Q

What is a white paper?

A

A government document that explains the objectives of government policy

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11
Q

Who are draft bills scrutinised by?

A

MPs, Select committees or joint committees

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12
Q

What are the main stages in the legislative process for a bill (except a money bill) introduced in the House of Commons?

A 
First stage
Second reading
Committees stage 
Report stage 
Third reading
House of Lords stages
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13
Q

First Stage

A

Formal presentation of the title of the bill on the floor of the house, no debate or vote yet.

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14
Q

Second Reading

A

Main debate on principle of bill, if bill is contested a vote is taken, government defeats at this stage are rare.

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15
Q

Committee Stage

A

Sent to public bill committee where each clause is scrutinised and amendments can be made.

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16
Q

Report Stage

A

Amendments made in committee considered by full House of Commons, can accept, reject or alter them, MPs not on the public bill committee now have the chance to make table amendments.

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17
Q

Third Reading

A

Debate on the amended bill on floor of the house, no further amendments allowed.

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18
Q

House of Lords stages

A

Bill sent to House of Lords, stages repeated, if amendments made Commons can agree, reject or amend them further, bill can go back and forth between two houses ‘parliamentary ping-pong’, if agreement can’t be reached then government has to decide whether to accept changed made by Lords, drop the bill or invoke the Parliament Act

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19
Q

When did parliamentary ping-pong occur?

A

Between 2010 and 2012, Commons overturned series of Lords’ amendments on legal aid and welfare

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20
Q

When was a bill defeated in the second reading stage?

A

1986 when the Sunday Trading Bill was defeated by 14 votes despite a government majority of 140

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21
Q

What is a private members’ bill?

A

A bill initiated by a backbench MP

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22
Q

What are the 3 routes a private members’ bill can take?

A

Ballot
Ten Minute Rule Bill
Presentation

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23
Q

What is Secondary legislation?

A

A law made by ministers who have been granted this authority by an Act of Parliament, rather than made by parliament.

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24
Q

What are Philip Norton’s 3 classes of legislatures?

A

Policy-making legislatures
Policy-influencing legislatures
Legislatures with little or no policy influences

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25
Q

What are policy-making legislatures?

A

These amend or reject legislative proposals made by the executive, and can put forward alternative bills

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26
Q

What are policy-influencing legislatures?

A

These can modify or reject legislative proposals from the executive but are unable to develop extensive legislative proposals of their own

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27
Q

What are legislatures with little or no policy influence?

A

These are unable to modify or veto legislative proposals from the executive, and cannot formulate meaningful alternative policy proposals of their own

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28
Q

What type of legislature is the UK parliament?

A

A policy-influencing legislature

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29
Q

Why is the UK parliament a policy-influencing legislature?

A

Law making occurs through not by parliament
It only has modest influence over policy and reacts to government proposals rather than taking the lead in formulating policy.
Parliament can vote against government bills and pass amendments.

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30
Q

Why is parliament’s effectiveness in making and scrutinising law limited?

A

Because of the dominance of the executive

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31
Q

What evidence is there that the dominance of the executive limits parliament’s effectiveness in making and scrutinising law?

A

Government bills - most bills originate from the government, private members’ bills have little chance of success without government backing.
Parliamentary timetable - executive controls most of legislative timetable + can use ‘guillotine motions’ to cut the time available for debate and scrutiny.
The ‘payroll vote’ - ministers + parliamentary private secretaries are required to support the government or resign. Over 40% MPs from governing party on this ‘payroll vote’.
Party discipline - whip system ensures government proposals are rarely defeated + that amendments to them are acceptable.

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32
Q

What is parliamentary scrutiny?

A

Role of parliament in examining the policies and work of the executive, and holding it to account

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33
Q

What ways is the executive scrutinised in the House of Commons?

A

Parliamentary Questions (Ministerial and Prime Minister’s Questions)
The Opposition
Select Committees

34
Q

What is a Select Committee?

A

A committee responsible for scrutinising the work of a government, notably of a particularly government department

35
Q

What is the overall aim of select committees?

A

To hold the government accountable for policy and decision making, and support parliament in scrutinising legislation and government spending.

36
Q

What are the 10 core tasks for departmental select committees?

A 
Strategy
Policy
Expenditure + Performance
Draft Bills
Bills + Delegated Legislation
Post-legislative Scrutiny
European Scrutiny
Appointments
Support for the House
Public Engagement
37
Q

Select Committees tasks: Strategy

A

Examine the strategy of the government department, including its key objectives and priorities

38
Q

Select Committees tasks: Policy

A

Examine policy and make proposals

39
Q

Select Committees tasks: Expenditure and Performance

A

Examine departmental spending and delivery

40
Q

Select Committees tasks: Bills and Delegated Legislation

A

Help the Commons to consider bills and legislation

41
Q

Select Committees tasks: Post-legislative Scrutiny

A

Examine the implementation of legislation

42
Q

Select Committees tasks: European Scrutiny

A

Scrutinise EU policy developments and legislative proposals

43
Q

Select Committees tasks: Appointments

A

Consider departmental appointments and hold pre-appointment hearings, if necessary

44
Q

Select Committees tasks: Support for the House

A

Produce reports for debate in the Commons

45
Q

Select Committees tasks: Public engagement

A

Help the Commons make their work accessible to the public

46
Q

When were departmental select committees created and why?

A

1979 to scrutinise the policy, administration and expenditure of government departments

47
Q

How many departmental select committees were there in 2016?

A

21

48
Q

Since 2010, how are chairs of select committees decided upon?

A

They are elected by MPs in a secret ballot using AVS

49
Q

What do successful committee candidates often have?

A

A reputation for independence or particular expertise

50
Q

What is an example of the chair of a select committee having expertise?

A

The Health Select Committee has been chaired by former secretary of state for health Stephen Dorrell and former GP Sarah Wollaston.

51
Q

Since 2010, how are select committee members decided upon?

A

Elected by a secret ballot within party groups

52
Q

Prior to 2010 how were select committee members decided upon?

A

Appointed by party whips

53
Q

What is the composition of select committee members?

A

Parties are represented proportional to their representation in the House of Commons

54
Q

Give an example of someone being called before a select committee

A

Mike Ashley was called before the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee for Sports Direct working conditions

55
Q

Give an example of a recent high-profile select committee inquiry

A

Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee inquiry (2009-10) into press standards and privacy was critical of the conduct of the press regarding the News of the World phone-hacking scandal that led to the Leveson Inquiry

56
Q

Are select committees effective in scrutinising the executive? Arguments FOR

A

Scrutinise the policies + actions of government, conducting detailed examinations of controversial issues.
Question ministers, civil servants + outside experts + can request access to government papers.
Many select committee recommendations are accepted by the government.
Election of chairs + members by MPs has enhanced the independence of select committees.

57
Q

Are select committees effective in scrutinising the executive? Arguments AGAINST

A

A government with a majority in the Commons will also have a majority in committees.
Minister and civil servants may not provide much information when questioned, and access to documents may be denied.
Have no power to propose policy - governments can ignore their recommendations.
Some members do not attend regularly; some may be overly abrasive when questioning witnesses.

58
Q

How many emergency debates were held in the 2015-2016?

A

4 including one on the European refugee crisis and one on the UK steel industry

59
Q

What is an issue with debates?

A

They can be poorly attended

60
Q

What is the Backbench Business Committee (BBBC) and when was it created?

A

Created in 2010

Has given MP’s greater opportunity to shape the parliamentary agenda.

61
Q

What does the BBBC do?

A

It decides the topic for debate on the floor of the Commons and in Westminster Hall for roughly 1 day per week.

62
Q

Has the BBBC been a success? Arguments FOR

A

Has given backbench MPs greater say over parliamentary timetable.
Has enabled debate on, and raised profile of, issues that would otherwise not have been discussed in depth in parliament - including EU referendum.
Debates initiated by BBBC have influenced government policy, including those on reducing fuel and beer duty.
Was a successful vehicle for public engagement with parliament, allocating time for debates for topics with 100,000 signatures in an e-petition

63
Q

has the BBBC been a success? Arguments AGAINST

A

Government doesn’t have to respond to, or accept, motions passed after debates scheduled by the BBBC.
Government allocates time for BBBC debates at short notice and in an ad hoc way.
Government ignored criticism from the BBBC and forced through changes which give party groups greater say in the election of BBBC members.
Smaller parties are under-represented: 7 members are Conservative or Labour MPs, the others are SNP

64
Q

Why has parliament’s effectiveness in the recruitment and development of future government ministers become questionable?

A

COMMUNICATION SKILLS - Being an effective communicator is key for career prospects on an MP but TV rather than parliament is now the key arena in which MPs display their communication skills.
EXPERIENCE - Government needs people with managerial, leadership and organisational skills. Around 1 in 5 MPs worked in politics before parliament.
CONFORMITY - Loyal MPs have better prospects of ministerial office than rebels. However, some MPs may not aspire to ministerial office and the strengthening of select committees offers an alternative career route.

65
Q

What is a delegate?

A

Given clear instructions on how to act on behalf of the people they represent.
Must follow these instructions in full and not adapt them based on their judgement.
Must not vote on basis of their personal views.

66
Q

Who proposed the trustee model?

A

Burke

67
Q

What is a trustee?

A

Should take account of the interests and values of the group they represent but are not bound by strict instructions from them.
Free to exercise their own judgement on issues and vote accordingly and according to their conscience.

68
Q

What is constituency representation?

A

MPs are expected to protect and advance the collective interests of the constituency they represent and to represent the interests of individual constituents.

69
Q

What is party representation?

A

Most successful general election candidates are elected for the party they represent.
Have to get the right balance of representing the views of local party members who selected them and of voters who elected them.

70
Q

What is descriptive representation?

A

Occurs when a legislature mirrors the society it represents.

71
Q

How many female MPs are there as of 2017?

A

208

72
Q

What percentage of the Commons are women compared to the UK population?

A

32% of Commons compared to 51% of the UK population

73
Q

Why does Labour tend to have a higher proportion of female MPs?

A

They use all female shortlists as of 1997

74
Q

How many BAME MPs are there as of the 2017 general election?

A

Rose from 41 to 52

Only 8% of the house compared to 15% of the population

75
Q

What age range are most MPs in?

A

35 - 55 (younger and older people are under-represented)

76
Q

Who was the youngest MP to be elected since 1832 and at what age?

A

SNP’s Mhairi Black, 20 years old when elected in 2015

77
Q

In 2017 how many elected MPs identified as LGBT?

A

45 (highest number in the world)

78
Q

In 2017 what percentage of MPs elected went to a fee-paying school compared to the percentage of voters?

A

29% of MPs compared to 7% of votes

79
Q

MPs who worked in business are more likely to be from what party?

A

Conservatives

80
Q

MPs who worked in the public sector (e.g. teachers) are more likely to be from what party?

A

Labour

UK Government (7 decks)

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