How does the Commons maintain its supremacy?

Question 1

1. Are the two houses always in conflict with each other?

Answer 1

1. No, many amendments made in the Lords are actually supported by the government, when it notices flaws in its own legislation.

Question 2

1a. What can the government do if clashes do occur?

1b. Date and what happened in the case of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill?

Answer 2

1a. The government can make use of its majority in the Commons, to overturn the Lords amendments.
1b. In February 2012, the coalition government rejected 7 amendments to its Welfare Reform and Work Bill, arguing that only the Commons could take decisions involving large financial implications.

Question 3

1a. What is ‘parliamentary ping pong’?

1b. How long did it last and what happened during the debate on the 2005 Prevention of Terrorism Bill?

Answer 3

1a. This is when a bill goes back and forth between the two houses.
1b. The sitting lasted 30 hours, as a result of the Lords wanting to introduce a ‘sunset clause’ - the bill would automatically expire after a year unless further legislation was passed. The Government didn’t accept, but promised a review a year later.

Question 4

1a. What is the Parliament Act?

1b. Give examples of how the Blair government used this 3 times.

Answer 4

1a. If the upper house continues opposing the Commons, the government can use the Parliament Act to force a bill through.
1b. > Changing the voting system for European parliament elections (1999).
> Equalising age of consent for gay and heterosexual people (2000).
> Banning hunting with dogs (2004).

Question 5

1. Why will the Lords usually drop their opposition after making their point?

Answer 5

1. This is as a result of it lacking the democratic legitimacy to push its case further.