House of Common Flashcards
How is a member of the HoC appointed?
-By being elected as a constituency representative through a general election.
legislating
-Any member can propose a bill
-They propose legislation that will then get ‘ping-ponged’ back and forth with the HoL to be scrutinised until an agreement can be reached and therefore, lead to the best possible legislations being formed.
Process of passing legislation
-First reading- MP’s reading the bill, no debating taking place.
-Second reading- MP’s discussing the bill: an initial vote can take place where MP’s turn down the bill completely, if they believe it can’t be salvaged with amendments.
-Committee stage- Committees or the house debate the bill and make amendments
-Report stage- changes made in the previous stage are reported back to the Hoc
-Third reading- final reading of the bill, no amendments can be made.
-Royal assent- final stage, where the monarch ‘signs’ the bill into the law, turning it into an Act of Parliament.
Scrutiny
-Responsible for holding the govt to account by scrutinising their actions and ensuring that they aren’t abusing their powers.
-Can force a govt to resign with a vote of no confidence or can trigger the dissolution of parliament.
-Criticise govt e.g through PMQs
-Investigate the quality of govt e.g select committees
-Voting against govt legislation.
Representation
Constituency representation:
-MP’s must protect the needs and interests of the people in their constituency in parliament.
-MP’s must represent all interests of their constituents, even if they weren’t voted to.
Social representation:
-the legislative body should reflect the people of society- 2019 most socially diverse parliament still dominated by white men over 50
Exclusive powers of the HoC
*The Parliament Acts 1911 + 1949 (the right to insist on legislation)- in cases of conflict over legislation the Lords should ultimately give way to the commons.
-HoL can only delay bills for up to a year e.g War Crimes Act 1991–> the HoC can invoke Parl Act to force through bills.
*Financial privillege–> questions legitmacy
-the Lords can’t delay or amend money bills, bills solely concerned w/ national taxation, loands or public money.
-the commons can claim financial privilege when the Lords passes an amendment to legislation that has financial implications e.g creating new spending.
*Confidence and supply- the requirement that the govt must be able to command a majority on the HoC on votes of confidence and supply–> money bills.
-the commons can remove the govt by defeating it in a motion of no confidence or confidence motion: but it is rare as it can risk MPs losing their seats.
*The commons have a public mandate whereas the Lords go by unelected as they’re appointed instead.
Salisbury convention
*Bills implementing manifesto commitments aren’t opposed by the lords.
*The HoL can’t block or try wreck legislation promised in the manifesto.
-the govt have a manifesto to implement + the HoL shouldn’t frustrate the will of the elected commons e.g 2022 police + crime bill amendments.
