Further Constitutional Reform?

Question 1

Human Rights Act Declarations of Incompatibility

Answer 1

1998-2015 30 declarations of incompatibility

Question 2

Judicial Review

Answer 2

1974 - 60
2011 - 11,200
2014 - 16,000 in which 36% unsuccessful

Question 3

Proposed White Paper Bill

Answer 3

50% elected House of Lords
Postponed until 2012
Deputy PM disregarded it

Question 4

1997 Firearms Act

Answer 4

1996 Dunblane School Shooting in which 16 died

1997 all hand-guns were banned

Question 5

Higher Education Bill

Answer 5

2016

Passed 316 to 311 in which 46 Scottish MPs voted

Question 6

House of Lords Amendments

Answer 6

2019
Withdrawal Agreement Amendments
Rejected 342 to 254

Question 7

Representation in the House of Lords

Answer 7

2018
54% live in London
235 were former politicians - 1 in 10 non-white
88 peers have never spoke
1 peer received £25,000 in expenses but did not vote once

Question 8

1999 House of Lords Reform Act

Answer 8

1999 299 hereditary peers reduced to 92 in 2000 and 49 in 2017
1999 129 life peers increased to 204 peers in 200 and 572 in 2017

Question 9

Cronyism in appointing peers to the House of Lords

Answer 9

Boris Johnson appointed 36 peers

19 Conservatives generating imbalance

Question 10

Backbench Rebellion

Answer 10

Blocked a reform to removing hereditary peers

2012 there was a proposal blocked for an 80% elected second chamber

Question 11

House of Lords Expenses Claims

Answer 11

110 peers claimed £1 million yet did not speak or make any contributions to the House of Lords

Question 12

Impact of COVID-19

Answer 12

Extra money offered to sub-national institutions

Differences in approaches to the pandemic across the nation

May - England moved to a ‘Stay Alert’ system where as the other nations kept ‘Stay at Home’

October Wales imposed a firebreak lockdown but England waited until November