House of Commons

Question 1

Explain the Legislative Process?

Answer 1

The King’s Speech - The Governments legislative agenda is read out by the King at the Start of a parliamentary term.
First Reading - A bill is introduced to the Commons although it can be the Lords.
Second Reading - Full debate and vote in the House.
Committee Stage - Public committees scrutinise the bill in detail.
Report stage - The Committee reports back to the House and recommends possible amendments.
Third Reading - Final vote on the amended bill.
The Lords - The Bill then goes to the other chamber and goes through all the same stages.
Royal Assent - The Monarch will then sign the bill into law.

Question 2

What role does the Commons play in Legislation?

Answer 2

They can vote, scrutinise and amend legislation and can in some rare cases stop government legislation all together.

Question 3

Give 2 Recent examples of Government bills?

Answer 3

In 2024 the Animal Welfare (livestock exports) bill 2024 was passed which was proposed by Steve Barclay and aims to prohibit the exportation of certain livestock from Britain to slaughter.

In 2024 the Conservatives in the House of Lords introduced the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 which aims to regulate the use of automated vehicles on the road.

Question 4

Give 2 recent examples of private member bills?

Answer 4

Brain Tumors Bill - Introduced by Labour MP Dame Siobhain McDonagh which aims to make it to so that any drugs prescripted for brain tumors should first be tested on people with brain tumors.

Clean Air Bill - Introduced by Caroline Lucas which aims to establish the right to breathe clean air.

Question 5

In what way is the House of Commons effective in regards to legislation?

Answer 5

There have been many examples in the past of the Commons significantly ammending or blocking a government bill for example Theresa May was blocked on a number of occasions from passing a Brexit Deal - 432 votes to 202 rejected this.

Question 6

In what ways is the House of Commons not effective in regards to legislation?

Answer 6

Governments have a majority of seats in parliament and therefore legislation is rarely blocked for example the coalition only lost a handful of votes whilst MPs rejected a series of proposed amendments by the Lords to the Rwanda Bill.

Question 7

In what ways is the commons effective in debating?

Answer 7

The Wright reforms have given more influence to backbenchers in regards to parliamentary proceedings.

There have been an increased number of debates on current and pressing issues thanks to the backbench business committee.

Question 8

In what ways is the commons not effective in debating?

Answer 8

Despite Wright reforms debating time is still strictly limited because of the time required for government business.

Government and opposition whips exercise lots of control meaning MPs rarely deviate from Party lines.

Question 9

In what ways is the commons effective in providing representation?

Answer 9

MPs can raise the concerns of their constituents through oral questions.

MPs can introduce private member bills to address constituency concerns.

MPs face scrutiny from constituents between elections, through surgeries, correspondence and social media.

Question 10

In what ways are MPs not effective in providing political representation?

Answer 10

Although people vote for a specific candidate in elections the focus tends to be on the party not the MP.

The first past the post system means that MPs are less likely to be elected by more than half of their constituency.

Parliament is not representative of minorities with only 64 BAME and 220 Women following 2019.

Question 11

In what ways is the House of commons effective in providing scrutiny?

Answer 11

Select committees can spend significant time scrutinising government and public bill committees can amend legislation.

Question 12

In what ways is the House of Commons not effective in providing scrutiny?

Answer 12

Oral Questions in the house are seen as pantomime and rarely challenge the Government.

Effectiveness of Select Committees has been called into question.

Question 13

Give 2 examples of MPs choosing to defect?

Answer 13

On the 8th of May during Prime Ministers Questions Natalie Elphicke defected to Labour over immigration policy.

On the 27th of April Dan Poulter Defected over the state of the NHS under the Conservative Government.

Question 14

Give 2 recent examples of votes of no confidence in the Government?

Answer 14

Theresa May January 2019, vote of no confidence called by Jeremy Corbyn after failing to pass her Brexit proposal - rejected by 325 - 306.

Boris Johnson July 2022, vote of confidence due to Party Gate Scandal won by 347 to 238 but still resigned in September.

Question 15

Give 2 examples of Government defeats in the Commons?

Answer 15

In December 2023 an amendment made by the Home Affairs Select Committee to the Victims and prisoners bill which would have required the government to set up a body to provide compensation to victims of the infected blood scandal was passed 246 - 242 despite a three line Conservative whip against it.

In September 2021 On a Labour opposition day a Labour motion calling for a cancellation of a planned £20 per week universal credit cut was passed 235 - 0.

Question 16

Who are the Current Whips?

Answer 16

The Current Conservative Whip is Simon Hart and the current Labour Whip is Alan Campbell.

Question 17

Give two examples of whips being used?

Answer 17

In October 2022 Liz Truss put in place a three line whip against a Labour motion to ban fracking, although the bill did not pass by 326 to 230 a total of 40 of Conservative members rebelled and voted alongside Labour.

in November 2023 Labour set in place a whip to vote against an SNP amendment calling for an immediate ceasefire. Despite this 56 Labour MPs defied the party whip.

Question 18

Give an example of an MP going against Party votes frequently?

Answer 18

Jeremy Corbyn rebelled 428 times between 2010 and 2015 but still voted alongside the whip 90% of the time.

Question 19

What does the backbench business committee do?

Answer 19

Gives an opportunity for backbench MPs to bring forward debates of their choice. For example they have recently called forward a debate on Potholes and Highway Maintenance as well as debate on continued arms sales to Israel.

Question 20

What is the role of the Home Affairs Select Committee?

Answer 20

It is a departmental select committee led by Labour MP Dianna Johnson and aims to scrutinise the Home Secretary. They have recently announced that the Fire Service is still institutionally misogynistic, racist and homophobic and has in turn proposed a number of urgent reforms.

In April 2024 also did a hearing into violence against retail workers in an attempt to improve the sector.

Question 21

What is the role of the Energy Security and net zero select committee?

Answer 21

They are a departmental select committee led by the former SNP now independent MP Angus MacNeill and deals with environment related issues.

They recently ruled that the UK must spend £30 billion in order to strip carbon dioxide production as well as reach net zero targets.

They also ruled that a large scale Carbon Removal system is necessary.

Question 22

What is the Women and Equalities Committee?

Answer 22

It is a topic select committee led by the Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, they clashed with the Government in January 2023 over their refusal to introduce menopause leave which in turn they accused the government of glacial progress in this field.

Question 23

What is the Justice Committee?

Answer 23

They challenge the government on issues regarding justice and is led by Conservative MP Bob Niell and they have recently stated that prisons are in a terrible situation and therefore, more prisons are needed.

Question 24

In what ways are select committees effective?

Answer 24

They can interrogate witnesses at length using their skills in a particular field.

They provide an alternative career path for politicians, they are well paid. Chairs are long standing members can become experts in the field.

The Government must respond to reports.

Question 25

In what ways are select committees not effective?

Answer 25

They have no legal power of summons and the government don’t have to assist in any way.

The government has a majority in committees and they are therefore, rarely challenged.

They always try and reach unanimous decisions so findings tend to avoid controversy.

Although the Government must respond it does not have to act.

Question 26

How many opposition days are there per year?

Answer 26

There are 20 of these days allocated per parliamentary session. 17 for the main opposition party and 3 for the second largest.

Question 27

Give a recent examples of controversy surrounding an opposition day?

Answer 27

In February 2024 there was major controversy over an SNP opposition day regarding an amendment to a government bill as the speaker deviated from precedent on it leading to outrage.

Question 28

How are Backbenchers able to question government Ministers? And what are the limitations?

Answer 28

There are allocated sessions every week where a government minister is questioned on the work of their department. However, they cannot ask followup questions and in turn written questions are usually more effective than oral ones.

Question 29

How do Prime Ministers questions work?

Answer 29

Backbench MPs can ask one single question to the Prime Minister, some government MPs will also ask questions which in turn can be negative as they are often planted and are used by the government to make announcements or attack the opposition. The leader of the opposition gets 6 questions and the 3rd party gets 2.

Question 30

Give an example of Prime Minister’s questions influencing government policy?

Answer 30

In 2017 after a PMQ from Jeremy Corbyn the government ended the use of a premium rate number for universal credit related inquiries. Although normally PMQs are simply used to catch government off guard not change policy.