House of Lords

Question 1

The legislature is what

Answer 1

Parliament

Question 2

What is Parliament composed of (three elements)

Answer 2

House of Commons, House of Lords and The queen

Question 3

What is the House of Lords known as

Answer 3

‘The second chamber’

Question 4

Are the HOL elected

Answer 4

No, largely appointed

Question 5

What are the HOL referred as

Answer 5

Revising Chamber

Question 6

What are the HOL there for

Answer 6

To advise the House of Commons and serve as a ‘voice of reason’

Question 7

What do the Lords bring

Answer 7

experience and knowledge from a wide range of occupations as they continue to be active in their fields with successful businesses, culture, sports, academia, law, education, health and public services.
They also bring this knowledge to their role of examining matters of public interest that affect all UK citizens

Question 8

How are the Lords appointed

Answer 8

By the queen on the advice of the Prime minister.

Recommended by an independent body, the House of Lords Appointments commission

Question 9

What does the Appointment Commission do

Answer 9

they recommend individuals for appoinment as non-party-political life peers and also vets nominations for life peers ensuring the highest standards of propriety.

Question 10

Members can be nomiated by….

Answer 10

public and political parties, once approved by PM in which are then formalised by the Queen

Question 11

what were law lords

Answer 11

12 judges specifically appointed because of their legal expertise to hear appeals from the court of appeal and lower courts.

Question 12

What was the constitutional reform act 2005 and when did it come to force

Answer 12

The constitution reform act removed law lords from the house and came into force since october 1 2009.

Question 13

Are scrutiny of bills in the house of lords more prejudiced or less

Answer 13

less

Question 14

are government defeats in the house of lords more common

Answer 14

yes

Question 15

what is ‘ping-pong’

Answer 15

Amendments passed in the lords are then re-subitted to the commons for further consideration, this is called ping pong

Question 16

what do the house of lords play

Answer 16

An important role in reviewing and scrutinising legislation (highlighting defects)

Question 17

Example of an action made in the House of lords

Answer 17

Conservative’s tax credit Bill defeated in Lords. Plans to cut 4.4 billion from the tax credit rejected in the HOL, therefore prevented Lord Chancellor George Osbourne’s cutting tax credits

Question 18

Up until the early years of the 20th century what power did the HOL had

Answer 18

The power to veto (stop) legislation

Question 19

What was the Parliament act 1911 and what did it reduce

Answer 19

This act removed from the HOL the power to VETO a bill, except one to extend the lifetime of Parliament. It also reduced the maximum lifespan of a parliament from seven years to five years

Question 20

How long could the Lords delay a bill

Answer 20

up to two years

Question 21

What did the Parliament act 1949 do

Answer 21

further reduced the lord’s delaying power to one year

Question 22

what did the parliament acts define

Answer 22

the powers of the lords in relation to public bills as follows
Money bills - start in the commons and then must receive royal assent no later than a month after being introduced in the lords, even if the lords has not passed them - lords cannot amend money bill.
Common bills - lords can reject a bill passed by commons in two consecutive parliamentary sessions. after, commons can send the bill to the queen for royal assent without lords consent
ensures that in an event of a conflict, the will of the commons prevails and the lords can merely delay, not veto, the passage of the bill.

Question 23

What is the parliaments functions

Answer 23

legislating

Question 24

How does primary legislation start off

Answer 24

It starts off as a policy proposal, then drafted into a farm capable of becoming law (a BILL)

Question 25

When does a Bill become an act of parliament

Answer 25

when it has passed through the appropriate parliamentary process in the HOC and the HOL and has been given royal assent by the Queen

Question 26

What are public bills and give some examples

Answer 26

they are proposals for primary legislation that will apply to the general public e.g. government of wales act 2006 or dentist act 1984

Question 27

What are government bills

Answer 27

proposals for legislation adopted by cabinet into governments legislative programme.

Question 28

What are Private member’s bills

Answer 28

they are non-government sponsored bills introduced by non-minsterials MP’s i.e introduced by an MP who isnt a member of the governement
often fail for lack of parliamentary time

Question 29

what are private bills

Answer 29

only affect particular people or a particular locality

Question 30

what is the salisbury convention

Answer 30

a non-legally binding political rule that lords will accept a legislative which formed part of the government’s electipon manifesto

Question 31

what does the salisbury convention ensure

Answer 31

ensures that government bills can get through the lords when the government of the day has no majority in the Lords. In practice this means that the lords do not (or should not) vote down a government bill mentioned in an election manifesto

Question 32

what is the legislative process

Answer 32

first reading - title of the bill is read out in the HOC
second reading - the responsible minister sets out the purpose of the bill to parliament and the opposition responds, then there is a debate in the house
committee stage - bill is referred to committee which considers the bill line by line and may make amendments
report stage - bill is reported back to house which may or reject any amendments
thrid reading - largley a formality to correct any errors
the lords - bill is sent to lords, above process is repeated in the lords
royal assent - announce in the commons and the lords