Parliament

Question 1

What are the two chambers called?

Answer 1

Commons and Lords

Question 2

What is the job of an MP?

Answer 2

Expectation to work in Parliament and their constituencies

Question 3

What is the monarch’s role in the legislative process?

Answer 3

State opening of Parliament to begin Parliamentary session

Royal assent, ceremonial roles and conventions

Question 4

How does government violate doctrine of separation of powers?

Answer 4

Governments govern in and through Parliament. Form as a result of Parliamentary elections which elect the legislative but also the executive as by-product. i.e PM is leader of govt but also an MP

Question 5

How many MPs must a party have to govern?

Answer 5

326 MPs otherwise they can be unseated (can lose motion of censure)

Question 6

Key words in Parliament

Answer 6

Parliamentary sovereignty
Bicameralism (2 chambers)
Backbencher=all MPs not part of govt or shadow cabinet. MPs expected to support party to which they belong in to in the division lobbies though many do not/ Vote as instructed by party

Question 7

Parliament

Answer 7

Traditional
Small=argumentative, adversarial atmo
Current Speaker Hoyle
Public gallery and press gallery
Every word recorded in Hansard

Question 8

Parliament business Mon-Thurs

Answer 8

Prayers
Q time
Urgent Qs+statements
Main business-laws, committees
Petitions-tech made it easy
Adjournment debate-ordinary MPs bring up what they want

Question 9

Function: legislation

Answer 9

Both chambers must approve all legislation before it becomes law
Lengthy process before it reaches statute book
Members have opp to debate bill principles and leg details
Opp for MPs to table amendments to leg in order to get concessions from govt
Delegated leg doesn’t have to pass through rigorous procedure but prders still have to be laid before MPs (gone through elsewhere e.g EU-circumnavigating parliamentary sovereignty)
Stages: 1st reading, committee stage, report stage, 3rd reading. Lords-1st reading, 2nd reading, committee, report, 3rd reading.
Consideration of amendments, royal assent
Repeal laws/updating

Question 10

Function: representation

Answer 10

Represent citizens-parties attempt to reflect views of people who elect them
Indy MPs attempt to represent constituency even if they didn’t all vote for them
This makes MPs accountable
MP likely to be rep of party. Can also rep own interests/business
Lords can also rep indy concerns or issues
Burkian Trusteeship=MP knows whats best for people, exercise superior judgement
Party rep-MPs rep their party and advance and support their party’s interest and programme
Delegatory (MPs directly rep wishes acting as delegates)-can you trust electorate?
Three pressures: party, constituency, own interests

Question 11

Function: scrutiny and oversight

Answer 11

Question times-MPs/Lords can question particular govt dept on specific day in House or in writing
PMQs
Debates-MPs receive answers from ministers
Dept select committees-shadow govt depts, scrutinise work
Public spending must be approved by HoC
Public Accounts Committee monitor govt spending and follows up on overspends, debts and their reasons

Question 12

Function: recruitment and training of ministers

Answer 12

Ministers drawn from Lords or Commons
Over time, through experience of serving on backbenchers, or as junior/shadow ministers they compete for places in executive
Start off on Backbench and work way up
Jr govt minister before govt minister
e.g Blair-1983 first time elected. PM by 1997

Question 13

Function: deliberation

Answer 13

Parliament forum for debate of main issues of concern. Becomes focus of nation’s attention when serious issues debated.
If a crisis emerges during recess, it is not unusual for members to demand a recall to discuss issue
e.g COVID rules-Dec 2021. Starmer agreed w/ Plan B, Tories didn’t
All debates end with vote and position is taken

Question 14

Function: Legitimacy/legitimation

Answer 14

Makes sure what govt does is viewed as legit
Parliament should ensure govt can actually govern/ Achieved by governing party having majority. Sustains govt and ensure legitimation
Legitimation-all legislature, expenditure and taxes must be approved by Parliament
Able to make things rightful or questioning things to make sure things are legit next time
e.g Iraq war-questioned

Question 15

Social representation in commons

Answer 15

220 female MPs from 19 in 1979. Not close to full rep as females make up 51% pop. However in Labour Party both genders are equal in terms of MPs. 2 female MPs in Great Offices of state
Avg age 50-59, majority 40-60. 21 MPs 18-29, same for 70+. Oldest-79 Youngest-23. Young people not represented enough
65 non white MPs 2019, 4 1987 (all from Labour in that time). Not rep of multiculturalism. Sungai, Patel, javid all in high govt positions. Both Labour and Tory more rep. 13% society ethnic minorities
29% MPs privately educated, 7% of population. 54% state school.
82% university educated 2017, 24% oxbridge (4/5 last PMs)
Number of Labour MPs attending uni risen from 59 to 84% (party of working class, used to be trade union reps)
31% 2015 professionals (middle class jobs, usually req degree). Business-30%. Manual workers-decline in working class 98 in ‘79 to 19 2015
Pink news: 46 LGBTQ+ MPs

Question 16

Lords representation

Answer 16

Oldest-95 Lord McKay. Baroness Gardner same age
Longest serving-Trefgame 1962 (m), Masham 1970 (f)
Youngest-Harlech (36,m)
222 female lords-approx 1/4
257 Tory, 186 Labour, 185 crossbenchers. No majority
46 of Tory lords hereditary. 33 hereditary crossbenchers
Majority of life peers middle class, May have working class origins e.g Lord Sugar. Hereditary upper class

Question 17

Democratic representation

Answer 17

Only commons elected-free fair and reg elections
Tory 2019-365 but 43.6% votes. Labour-203, 32.2%
SNP=48 seats, 3.9%
Does commons accurately represent peoples votes?
2015-UKIP 12.6% vote, 1 seat. 4mn votes. SNP=56, 4.7
SNP regional party so support concentrated, UKIP is national so support dispersed
59 seats Scotland, 40 wales, 18 NI, 533 England
Constituencies allocated by population so England gets most seats-over dominant
What English voters want they get as well as rest of UK even if they don’t earn if
Democratic deficit-Tories only won England not while of UK
Devolution impacted rep (attempt to fix democratic deficit)

Question 18

How are both chambers selected?

Answer 18

Lords-appointed by PM

Commons-general elections

Question 19

Life Peers

Answer 19

New type of peerage introduced by Life Peerages Act 1958. Peers are appointed for something notable they’ve done in their life, not inherited.

Question 20

Hereditary peers

Answer 20

These types of peers inherit their titles. Reduced to 92 after the House of Lords Act 1999

Question 21

Powers exclusive to the Commons

Answer 21

• Consent to taxation and expenditure (exclusively rep taxpayers, Lords can’t interfere w/ money bills)
• Confidence and supply e.g May’s govt 2017 with DUP, NI received £1bn extra money

Question 22

Main powers of the lords

Answer 22

Parliament Act 1911/1949 limits powers-cannot delay money bills and only delay non-money bills for up to a year. Doesn’t get used a lot (7 times since 1911). First usage 1991-War Crimes Act which would allow Nazi criminals to be tried for crimes, committed elsewhere, in the UK. Other examples-European Parliamentary Elections 1999 (PR for EU elections), Sexual Offences Act 2000 (age of consent for non-heterosexual = heterosexual)
Lords cannot be overruled so don’t really use the Act at all otherwise it would lesson impact. If its used it shows its seriousness, only occurs when no compromise can ne reached

Question 23

Salisbury Convention

Answer 23

Lords cannot oppose a bill that gives effect to manifesto commitment of elected govt

Question 24

What is the function of the Lords?

Answer 24

A revising chamber that can delay non-money bills for up to a year (rarely) and can only veto extensions of Parliament’s lifetime beyond 5 years
Important as source of revision and improving leg as well as the place that much of the leg coming from EU has been initially dealt with.
Quite good at what it does

Question 25

Constituency duties of an MP

Answer 25

Write letters, emails and replying to phone messages.
Hold surgeries-local ppl can meet MP and ask Qs. Usually meet to seek help with a problem or issue.
Some send out newsletters to constituents and communicate via own website or social media accounts
Attend large number of meetings and events inc w/ local constituency political party. Require support of local party to ensure they will be selected to stand as candidate in future elections

Question 26

Private Members Bills

Answer 26

Introduced by MPs or Lords who aren’t govt ministers. Aim to change law that applies to general pop. Minority become law but by creating publicity around an issue, they may affect leg indirectly.
Can be introduced in either House. Commons-ballot (first 7 names most likely to get day of debate), 10 min rule (MPs voice an opinion on a subject or aspect of existing leg) and presentation (notice of intention to do so-formally introduce bill title but do not speak in support of it. Rarely becomes law)

Question 27

Legislative process

Answer 27

Start in either chamber
Stages the bill must pass through before passed onto other chamber
If changes are made the bill is passed back for amendment phase to be voted on
Once both chambers have agreed it is passed on for Royal Assent

Question 28

1st reading

Answer 28

Govt minister intro bill and explains it

Question 29

2nd reading

Answer 29

Minister comes back and explains bill in greater detail. Opp for debate, vote after

Question 30

Legislative committee stage

Answer 30

Bill gone through line by line (specialist MPs on subject)

Question 31

Report stage

Answer 31

Amendments

Question 32

3rd reading

Answer 32

Final debate, Another vote-if bill loses, it is lost. These votes are whipped. Three line-expectation, consequences if not.
Passes onto other chamber and same process repeated

Question 33

Legislative ping pong

Answer 33

If bill is amended, it is sent back. Commons vote to add or remove amendments from Lords. Can happen constantly
Salisbury convention

Question 34

Royal assent

Answer 34

Monarch signs the bill into law

Question 35

Examples of successful Private Members Bills

Answer 35

Some PMB have brought about sig changes e.g Murder (Abolition of death penalty ‘65 and abortion ‘67)
2017-Assaults on emergency workers (offences) Act 2018 by Chris Bryant, a Labour MP. Criminal offence w/ longer punishment

Question 36

How can PMBs be given the best chance of getting through?

Answer 36

Find a reason for people to support it. Controversial bills will run out of time

Question 37

Legislative committees

Answer 37

Made up of MPs from all sides of house responsible for piloting leg through HOC
Opp can table amendments-0.5% accepted by govt
-In built govt maj in proportion to maj of house
-Detailed clause-by-clause consideration of leg
-16 MPs appt by committee of selection and chairman appt by Speaker from Chairman’s Panel
-Affected by party politics
-Membership always reflects party strengths in C so govt maj is always guaranteed. Serve as opp for opposition to scrutinise govt leg but relatively powerless in ability to amend or halt govt bills

Question 38

Govt defeats in Commons

Answer 38

Thatcher-4
Major-6
Blair-4
Brown-3
Cameron-6 (coalition)
Cameron-3
May's first term-0
May '17-'19-33 (meaningful vote-432 against)
Boris jul 2019-Dec 2019 12. Dec 2019-present 4.

Question 39

Defeats in lords

Answer 39

Sept 2021-Feb 2022 55
No maj-lots of defeats
Parliament act will ensure most bills pass

Question 40

Whips

Answer 40

System of control over backbench MPs
Maintain party discipline and loyalty, quelling rebellions and stave off rebellions. Essential tool of party management
Opp also has whip
Rebellious Tory MP e.g Peter Bone
Leg committee members whipped to ensure govt bill support as it progresses through Parliament. Select committees not whipped
Chief Tory Whip=Mark Spencer. Labour-Alan Campbell
Trying to present party unity
Also advise PM-poss of promotion for those loyal
MPs can be suspended from party or removed e.g Corbyn
If they take whip away from you, will you get re-elected? Parties dom election
Govt w/ maj+effective whipping->rare defeats

Question 41

Rebellions in the Commons

Answer 41

Govts own backbenchers don’t do what whips tell them to
Sig no. refusing to follow instructions
How damaging rebellions can be is size of majority of govt. Ministers vote for govt policy or must resign.
Small rebellions can be sig if there’s a small majority e.g Major-21, Cameron-12. Must be judicious on rebellions-small majority empowers and limits back benchers
MPs must support party policies, constituency and own views-conflicting pressures
Ideological division can affect party unity as well as tensions

Question 42

Examples of Commons rebellions

Answer 42

119 Tory MPs opposed Same Sex Marriage Act 2013-still passed w/ opp support
139 Labour MPs over Iraq War-still passed as Tory supported
2010-2015-37% Commons votes produced rebellion compared to 28% under Labour. Rebellions more likely under coalitions-2 parties, may not agree w/ policy
Meaningful vote-432 n, 202 yes

Question 43

Ministerial Q times

Answer 43

Daily-MPs can ask ministers qs about govt policies. Ministers from each dept must come to House roughly 1x a month on a rota basis to answer oral Qs
Qs submitted 2wks om adv giving ministers and their civil servants plenty of time to prep detailed replies. After initial reply the questioner is free to ask a supplementary Q as long as it is on same gen topic. Other members then intervene
Good for judging minister-testing their merits
Limited-better to wrte than ask, party politics gets in way

Question 44

PMQs

Answer 44

1x a week-Weds 12pm, 30 mins
Senior figs deputise if PM unavailable
Process of getting Q on agenda same but convention-what are PM’s engagements today?-must be submitted by every MP. Supplementary Qs are then used after. Opp-6 Qs, 2nd largest-2
When a big issue cuts across party everyone is on same side.
Party politics majorly impact
Govt backbenchers give Qs that can highlight + of govt
Usually current affairs-PM has no ‘job’
In scrutinising govt actions, it is limited. Useful for judging qualities of leaders > what they’re saying

Question 45

Select committee in Commons

Answer 45

Universal agreement that this works well
Scrutinise govt depts and policy.
Investigate and report on govt work and issues pertaining to govt. Evidence-led process, govt must respond to report (within 8wks)
e.g Education Committee-11 members. Chair-Robert Halfon (elected by MPs)
Balance of party reflected in committee make-up, MPs elect who’s on each one
Committees decide own investigations and devote several weeks to examining issues
Press release for inquiry-select people to give evidence and ask Qs about evidence
Members for up to 5yrs-develop expertise
Can influence leg through inquiries and their recs

Question 46

Select committees in the Lords

Answer 46

Parliamentary-set up in every parliament to cover broad subject areas
Special inquiry-investigate specific current issues and complete their within a year
Investigate range of issues affecting govt. 12 members inc. affiliated w/ party and indy crossbenchers. Have expertise, cross party
Permanent committees e.g EU. Broad subjects that cut across govt depts
Joint committees involve members from both houses

Question 47

Backbench business committee

Answer 47

Est by Wright reforms of 2009 to help backbenchers have more inf of the parliamentary timetable and to have an impact on debates and the votes that take place in Commons. Backbenchers-‘lobby fodder’ (herded by whips into / lobbies, happened a lot, limited backbenchers)
Allocated part of Parliamentary timetable
Chaired by opp MPs, cross-party membership stops govt dom
MPs apply to committee to put forward debate/raise business. Criteria the debate must meet to be accepted
Generally viewed well-readdress balance

Question 48

Debates

Answer 48

Takes up most of time debating political issues. By holding debates Parliament is able to hear who favours/opposes particular proposals
Set of rules and procedures interpreted by indy chairman. At end of most debates the House decides whether to support/reject proposals under discussion by vote
e.g 2000-Hague demanded but didn’t obtain recall of Parliament to discuss fuel crisis
Answer to outcome, topicality, content covered, who’s involved-political heavyweights elevate debate, who’s attended

Question 49

Confidence

Answer 49

Something opp can table w/in session-lack of confidence in govt
Following day there must be a debate on motion, ending w/ vote-lose (forced to resign) and hold GE 6wks later
Won’t be lost if govt has majority. Dependent on circ. whether it will all pass or not. Even if govt MPs dislike PM they will support
No. debated inc dramatically during late ’70s. Minority govt eventually fell after it was defeated in such motion 1979, lost by 1 vote.
Tie=speaker casts final vote. Always will vote to cont. govt
Major 1994-made proposed amendment to EC finance bill ‘issue of confidence’-7 voted against. whips removed. Expelled from party temp
Bills-sometimes matter of confi and will be three line whip votes to demo confi in govt
Corbyn Jan 2019-May survived 325-306, rebels and DUP who rejected brexit deal voted to keep her.

Question 50

Opposition days

Answer 50

Given some days in calendar to bring forward its business
Accused of ineffectiveness and ‘yah boo’ politics-for opp sake
Can halt process of govt if they obstruct leg for period of months
Way to show they are govt in waiting
Told to play safe-may lose floating voters if it leaves itself open to charge of extremism and irresponsibility
Cannot be brought down except disloyalty

Question 51

Devices of control for Executive

Answer 51

Exert degree of inf over MPs. Can counteract Parliament’s attempt at scrutiny:
Whips
Exploit MPs ministerial ambitions and payroll vote (work for free, jr mr paid)
Restriction of info: voluntary ministerial disclosure (can’t give out info w/o perm)
Official secrets act 1999-sign doc to not disclose govt secrets, prosecution otherwise
Parliamentary maj
Royal prerog-bypass Parliament, pardons w/o scrutiny
Control of parliamentary timetable-govt dom most of time
Parliament Act 1949-force will of commons onto lords, led by govt
Elective dictatorship-reg GEs but hard to affect govt inbetween. Maj-how can you push govt in one way

Question 52

House of Lords role

Answer 52

Imp leg and scrutinise govt
Amend, delay or reject govt leg (not veto)
2/3 time spent looking at leg from commons (poor quality). 1/3 on scrutiny via Qs and committees (poor in Commons due to whips and party politics)
Experts on particular subjects+have time
Appointed by PM, helped by pane;

Question 53

What do the Lords do?

Answer 53

Investigate issues through debates and committees
No party maj-less caught up in party politics
More powerful until Parliament act 1911 which made Commons more powerful
Life peerages intro 1958
Dif perspective-who’s in it, not dom by governing party
Semi-prof
Lord speaker

Question 54

Lords role in law making

Answer 54

Bill physically transported to Lords
1st reading by govt minister
2nd reading-vote held if large disagreement, can choose to throw out. Amendments disc
Committee-usually whole lords become one
Report-contentious vote
3rd-all changes made, final vote
Commons must agree to all changes-ping ponging. Lords make most changes to bills

Question 55

Govt defeats in Lords

Answer 55

13-14=19
14-15=11
15-16=60. Cameron won election-more influential despite less power
Parliament act 1949-delay bills seeking to extend parliament lifetime past 5yrs
Power remains after 1999 reform-testimony to fact that it acts as powerful constitutional watchdog
1958-life peers, more expertise. Govt defeat more likely as they know what they’re doing
1999-92 hereditary peers (more likely to be tory, had inbuilt maj pre-1999, more control). Pre-1999 had about 750 peers. There is now no inbuilt maj for any govt

Question 56

Meg Russel-House of Lords

Answer 56

Check and question work of 1st chamber
Removal of hereditary peers made it more legitimate
Still unelected, unleg and undemo-limits extent of what they can challenge/criticise
Tory can be ganged up on by Labour, LD and crossbenchers
Lords closer to vote share balance
Size of lords should be smaller-max size?
Appointing process needs to be tightened up-reg PMs power e.g no. balance requirements
Retirement age?

Question 57

House of Lords reform-powers or composition

Answer 57

Parliament Act 1911/49-address power balance. Balance is pretty good so reducing Lords powers would affect how they carry out their jobs
Composition reforms may bring views that Lords should have more power if elected as they would have greater legitimacy
No clear consensus position or reducing no. peers

Question 58

History of Lords reform

Answer 58

Issue 100 years old (one of longest running in UK politics)
1909-11 constitutional crisis provokes Parliament Act. Lords would constantly veto budget, lost veto power except in requests to extend parliament
1949 Parliament Act-reduces bill delay to a year. Lords kept blocking Attlee govt work
1958-Life peerages act. New route for people who weren’t hereditary peers.
1963-abilitiy to renounce hereditary peer forever
1999-tory gov for 18 years previously, not in favour of reforms.

Question 59

Options for house of lords reform

Answer 59

Abolition-loss of checks and balances (critique, improvement and accountability). Leg would be poorly drafted and ill-thought of. Lose all oversight. Would allow majority govts to pass leg they want. Commons would need reform (PR system) to stop dom
Elect/appoint. Retirement age. Balance of elected and appointed (50/50 of Cleggs 80% elected 20% appointed)