Parliament Flashcards
Parliament
The British legislature (law making body) made up of the House of commons, House of lords and the Monarch
House of commons
The primary chamber of the UK legislature, directly elected by voters
House of lords
The primary chamber of the UK legislature, directly elected by voters
Backbenchers
MPs who do not have a ministerial or shadow-ministerial position
opposition
The party with the second-largest number of seats in the commons
Select committees
consisting of Backbench MPs, they investigate and report on the activities of the government departments
Bicameral
Two chambers
Parliamentary privilege
legal immunity from civil/criminal action allows MPs to raise important and significant issues
Parliamentary privilege
legal immunity from civil/criminal action allows MPs to raise important and significant issues
Public bills
bills that concern the whole country
Private bills
rare pieces of legislation that only affect a small number of people
Hybrid bills
Mixture of the two
Functions of parliament
- passing legislation
- scrutinizing the executive
- recruitment of ministers
Three line whip
An instruction given to Members of Parliament by the leaders of their party telling them they must vote in the way that the party wants them to on a particular subject.
How is scrutiny performed….
- PMQs
- Select committees
- debate
Salisbury convention 1945
The House of Lords does not delay or block legislation that was included in the governments manifesto
Parliament Act 1911
The House of Lords cannot delay a money bill
Parliamentary Ping pong
when a bill goes back and forth between the two houses
Sunset clause
A bill would automatically expire after a year unless further legislation was passed to renew it
Legislative bills
Proposed laws passing through parliament
Public Bill Committees
Committees responsible for looking at bills in detail
Act of Parliament
A bill that has completed all its stages in parliament and has become law
Private Member’s Bill
Affects the whole population, introduced by an individual backbench MP or a member of the Lords, these are much less likely than a public bill to become law as they depend on time being found for them to complete all their stages in parliament
How a bill becomes law
Starts in the house it was initiated in by the first reading, then second reading, then the committee stage, then the report stage and finally the third reading, then goes on to the next house and completes the same steps and then can be given the royal assent
Origin of the Bill
May originate as a green paper and/ or a white paper
First Reading
First compulsory stage, bill is made available to MPs/ Lords but is not debated or voted on at this stage
Second Reading
Principle of the bill is debated and a vote may be taken if it is contested
Committee Stage
Bill is scrutinised in detail by a public bill committee (standing committee), whose membership reflects the strength of the parties in the Commons, amendments may be made if the government is prepared to accept them
Report Stage
Whole house considers amendments made at the committee stage and may accept or reject them
Third Reading
Amended bill is debated and voted on by the whole house
House of Lords Stages
Bill goes through the same stages, with the exception of the committee stage, which is carried out by the whole house, can propose amendments and the house of commons has to decide whether to accept, reject or further amend these
Royal Assent
Monarch signs the bill, making it law, this stage is a formality as the sovereign is a constitutional monarch, who would not get involved in politics by refusing to sign a bill
Parliamentary Privilege
The right of MPs or Lords to make certain statements within parliament without being subject to outside influence, including law
Backbench Business Committee 2010
Creation enabled them to choose the topic for debate on 35 days in each parliamentary session, some of which are chosen in response to e-petitions
Urgent Questions
Device that, subject to the approval of the Speaker of the House, allows an MP to raise an important matter requiring an immediate answer from a government minister
House of Commons Select Committees
The current form was introduced by Norman St John Stevas, Leader of the House at the beginning of the Thatcher government, it scrutinises the policy, administration and spending of each government department
Public Accounts Committee
Examines government expenditure, seeking to ensure that value for money is being obtained
Liaison Committee
Consists of the chairs of all the select committees, questions the prime minister twice a year across the whole field of government policy
Committee on Standards
Oversees the work of the parliamentary commissioner on standards, an official who is in charge of regulating MPs conduct, including their financial affairs