Parliament

Question 1

5 functions of parliament?

Answer 1

Legitimation - granting consent on laws on behalf of the people
Scrutinising legislation - eg. Legislative committees
Accountability - hold govt to account (eg. Committees, vote of no confidence, PMQs)
Representation of constituency & interests of society
National debate

Question 2

Bicameral

Answer 2

2 chambers - HofC and HofL
Could say tricameral including the queen

Question 3

4 functions of the Lords

Answer 3

Scrutinising legislation - high number of experts = meaningful
National debate

(different to commons)

Delaying legilation
Secondary legislation - approving minor regulation the HofC doesn’t have time for

Question 4

Powers of Commons and Lords

Answer 4

Both
Debate legislation and vote on approval
Propose amendments
Call govt and ministers to account
National debate

Commons
Scrutinise/pass financial bills
Veto legislation
Dismiss govt with vote of no confidence
Select committees examine govt

Lords
Delay primary legislation for a year
(Remember Parliament Acts 1911/49)
Review secondary legislation

Question 5

How many MPs in the Commons?

Answer 5

650
~ 150 frontbenchers
~ 500 backbenchers

Question 6

Select committees

Answer 6

Permanent Committees made of backbenchers

Question 7

Legislative Committees

Answer 7

Temporary committees made to scrutinise legislation and propose amendments

Question 8

Party whip

Answer 8

Senior MP whose job is to maintain discipline in the party and force MP’s to follow their party line

Question 9

Speaker of the Commons

Answer 9

Elected by MP’s to decide agenda and keeps order in the house
eg. Lindsay Hoyle

Question 10

How many Lords are there?

Answer 10

About 800

92 hereditary peers

Life = appointed for life by party leaders/appointments committee
- former politicians/civil servants/experts
- eg. Lord Alun Sugar

Spiritual Lords - 26 senior bishops of CofE

Cross-benchers - lords who act without party allegiance, neutral and independent

Question 11

4 ways a Bill can be introduced

Answer 11

Government (most common)
MPs
Lords
Private individuals/organisations

Question 12

Public Bill

Answer 12

Most common!
Introduces a change which applies to the public
eg. 2006 Health Act banned smoking in public places

Question 13

Private Bill

Answer 13

Very rare - not govt’s priority
Introduced by private individuals/organisations wanting to change a law that limits their power or inhibits actions
Require to be publicised
eg. HS2 - high speed railway wants to go through farms and peoples gardens

Question 14

Hybrid Bill

Answer 14

Mix of public and private, elements of private organisations but also affects the general public
eg. Building the Channel Tunnel between UK 🇬🇧 and France 🇫🇷 in 1980s

Question 15

Private Members Bill

Answer 15

Not very common - govt wants to prioritise its own bills!
A type of public bill introduced by an MP or Lord rather than the govt
Introduced by:
- drawn from a ballot and debated
- 10min rule (individual can talk and raise status of bill)
- apply to present it
eg. Marriage and Civil Partnership Act 2022

Question 16

Opposition to Bills

Answer 16

• only HoC can propose financial bills
• HoL can delay not block
• HoC can veto
• both can propose amendments
• public can oppose!
  Write to MP
  Lobby Parliament
  Provide evidence to Public Bill Committee during scrutiny

Question 17

Stages of a Bill

Answer 17

1st reading - MPs are informed about bill (not debated @ this stage)
—> several weeks
2nd reading - main debate on bill
—> voted on to move in with more detail
Committee stage - Bill committee scrutinises and proposes amendments
Report stage - debated on again including amendments
EVEL vote - English Votes for English Laws
3rd reading - final debate
Equivalent in HoL/HoC
Royal ascent
—> Act/law!

Question 18

EVEL vote

Answer 18

English Votes for English Laws
- 2015 it was decided that only English MPs may vote if the law only applies to England (same for Wales)
- after Scottish MPs were voting to impose tuition fees in England ?!

Question 19

Lord Limitations

Answer 19

Parliament Acts 1911/49
- limited power of Lords to delay legislation for only 2 years, then 1
- no influence on financial bills
Salisbury Convention
- lords cannot block legislation if it was in govt’s manifesto
Abolition Threat
- lords will be abolished if they do not respect will of the commons

Question 20

Backbench Peers (Lords)

Answer 20

Provide expertise
eg. Lord Sugar (business and enterprise) or Doreen Lawrence (crime/racism/policing)
Scrutinise bills and suggest amendments
Partake in think tanks
Each govt department has a minister who sits in the HoL (undemocratic as they are supposed to be independent!)

Question 21

Parliamentary Privilege

Answer 21

The right of MP’s or Lords to make certain statements within Parliament without being subject to outside influence (cannot be sued!)
✅ freedom of speech
✅ allows MPs to hold govt to account and question without fear of losing jobs
❌ can say whatever they like - undemocratic and against rule of law (more rights than others)
Rules: no provocative language (liar or swearing) and cannot mention super injunctions

eg. Ryan Giggs 2011 (footballer)
- had a super injunction to protect his reputation after having an affair
- MP mentioned him in Parliament as an example and his name was mentioned on national TV!

Question 22

Select Committees

Answer 22

Scrutinise the work of the govt
Investigate issues and produce reports
NO PARTY WHIPS = unbiased
Chairs are always elected and earn higher salaries
10-15 backbenchers

Question 23

Departmental Select Committees

Answer 23

There are 19!
Each one scrutinises the work of each department holding them to account
- they can call witnesses!
Reports are presented to the HoC, but they are NOT legally binding
Members are elected by MPs so govt party usually has majority in each committee
- but DSCs are mainly independent from party allegiance

eg. 2016 British Home Stores Scandal
- looked into collapse of the chain and loss of pension fund
- microbeads were banned

Question 24

Public Accounts Committee
Very important!

Answer 24

Chair = member of opposition party
Scrutinises value for money on public spending/delivery of public services
Members act independently of party allegiance
High profile in the media!

eg. 2015 enquiry into effectiveness of cancer care by NHS
- 31 enquiries in 2022

Success of PAC is dependent on the media!

Question 25

Backbench business committee

Answer 25

Decides the agenda for parliament on Backbench Days (35 days a year)
- gives backbenchers more influence and force govt to debate issues

Question 26

Liaison Committee

Answer 26

Made of all the chairs of DSCs
Hold the PM to account - VERY scrutinising
PM must appear 3x a year

Question 27

How many opposition days are there per year?

Answer 27

20
Opposition have control over parliament agenda