Government control over parliament has reduced/is perfect 4.2

Question 1

what are the points to use saying that government control has reduced this past years

Answer 1

• increased number of rebellions in the Commons
• restrictions on the exercise of certain prerogatives
• Backbench Business/Select Committee
• assertiveness of the House of Lords

Question 2

how has ‘increased number of rebellions in the Commons’ reduced government control

Answer 2

• governments rarely lose legislation
  HOWEVER - rebellions means they can withdraw bills

Question 3

how has ‘restrictions on the exercise of certain prerogatives’ reduced government control

Answer 3

• restrictions on the right to authorise military action
• precedents of parties mean its difficult to implement something which went wrong before

Question 4

how has ‘Backbench Business/Select Committee’ reduced government control

Answer 4

• more control over the choice of topics for debate
• airing issues that might otherwise have been neglected.
• powers have increased = allow MPs to elect their chairs

Question 5

how has ‘assertiveness of the House of Lords’ reduced government control

Answer 5

• led to several government defeats
• No single party controls the Lords
• cross-benchers are a threat to majoritarian parties

Question 6

what are the points to use saying that government control is perfect at the moment

Answer 6

• power of the whips/prime-ministerial patronage
• secondary legislation
• government controls legislative schedule
• select committees
• parliamentary ping-pong

Question 7

how does ‘power of the whips/prime-ministerial patronage’ show that government control is perfect at the moment

Answer 7

• Prime Ministerial Patronage = power to PM to appoint individuals to key government positions
• PAYROLL VOTE = loyalty to party lines

Question 8

how does ‘secondary legislation’ show that government control is perfect at the moment

Answer 8

secondary legislation = more detailed rules or regulations created, often without needing full act of Parliament.

Question 9

how does ‘government controls legislative schedule’ show that government control is perfect at the moment

Answer 9

• limited amount of time allocated to Private Member’s Bills
• no time on debates selected by the opposition

Question 10

how does ‘select committees’ show that government control is perfect at the moment

Answer 10

• Ministers can obstruct select committees from summoning officials to their hearings
• do not have to act on their reports

Question 11

how does ‘parliamentary ping-pong’ show that government control is perfect at the moment

Answer 11

• The Salisbury convention protects a government’s manifesto
• Parliament Acts = help governments overcome persistent opposition from the Lords