Parliament

Question 1

What does Parliamentary sovereignty set out?

Answer 1

Parliament has absolute legal authority, Parliament can legislate on anything of their choosing, Legislation cannot be overturned by a higher authority, No parliament can bind its successors.

Question 2

What is the rule of law in the UK?

Answer 2

The rule of law is an essential feature of Liberal democracy, No one can be punished without trial, Non one is above the law, The General constitutional principles result from judge made common law rather than statute law.

Question 3

What makes the UK system Bichameral?

Answer 3

It is made up of two chambers, The House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Question 4

What are the advantages of Bicameralism?

Answer 4

House of Lords provides checks and balances on House of Commons, provides greater scrutiny and revision of legislation, may represent different interests of the national population.

Question 5

How many MP’s are in the House of Commons and how many are in the House of Lords?

Answer 5

650 MP’s in the House of Commons, there are 771 peers in the House of Lords.

Question 6

What salary are MP’s paid and what regulates this?

Answer 6

As of April 2020 MP’s are paid £81’932 per year in addition to covering travel costs and other expenses. Parliamentary Salaries authority.

Question 7

What happened in 2009 that led to MP’s salaries being regulated so heavily?

Answer 7

2009 Expenses Scandal which led to 100s of MP’s having to pay back their expenses with 4 eventually being jailed.

Question 8

How did some MP’s utilise parliamentary privilege in 2009 to avoid the negative publicity from the expenses Scandal?

Answer 8

They used it to gain legal immunity to protect their freedom of speech and exclusive cognisance which is the right of each house to deal with their own internal affairs.

Question 9

What act was passed in 2015 to weaken Parliamentary privilege?

Answer 9

Recall of MP’s act 2015 which set out that MP’s can dismissed by voters.

Question 10

Who are the current Labour and Conservative Chief Whips?

Answer 10

The current Conservative Chief whip is Simon Hart.
The current Labour Chief whip is Sir Allen Campbell.

Question 11

What can the Prime Minister threaten to do if MP’s don’t vote alongside them and give a recent example of it?

Answer 11

MP’s can face having the whip withdrawn which would mean that they’d have to run in the next General election as an independent. For example in October 2022 Liz Truss used a triple whip on a fracking bill.

Question 12

What are the Key Aspects of the Speaker in the House of Commons? And who is current speaker?

Answer 12

They preside over debates, select MP’s to speak, Maintain order in the House, Temporarily suspend MP’s that break the law, expected to be non-partisan, uses casting vote too extend a debate. Lindsay Hoyle.

Question 13

Why was John Bercow seen as a reformist speaker and when was he elected to the role?

Answer 13

Bercow was accepted to the role in July 2009 and he called upon more backbench MP’s to speak in debate as well as allowing for more urgent questions.

Question 14

What do Peer’s receive instead of a Salary?

Answer 14

They receive a daily attendance allowance.

Question 15

Who is the House of Lords Chaired by and how are they elected?

Answer 15

It is chaired by the Lord speaker who is chosen by the Peers and is politically neutral. The Current Lord Speaker is Lord Mcfall of Alcluith.

Question 16

What are the major Lords Reform acts and what did they do?

Answer 16

1911 Lords reform act reduced the amount of time money bills could be blocked by to two years.
1949 Parliament act, Money bills can only be blocked for one year.
1958 Life Peerages act, PM can now appoint life Peers.
1963 Peerage act, Hereditary peers can renounce title, allowed for female hereditary peers and allowed for more Scottish peers.
1999 House of Lords act, amount of hereditary peers reduced to 92.
2014 House of Lords Reform act, allowed members to resign from the house, followed by the 2015 House of Lords Expulsion and suspension act.

Question 17

What Exclusive powers does the House of Commons have?

Answer 17

The right to insist on legislation, Financial Privilege, Power to defeat the executive.

Question 18

What are the three primary constitutional conventions that underpin Commons Primacy?

Answer 18

Salisbury Doctrine - Lords cannot oppose manifesto promises.
Reasonable time - Lords should consider government business within reasonable time.

Question 19

What is a supply bill?

Answer 19

It is a bill relating to national taxation, Lords are not allowed to delay these bills, if a government fails to pass a Supply bill it is expected to resign.

Question 20

Give two examples of the Salisbury convention being controversial in recent years?

Answer 20

In 2006 the House of Lords voted against Labour’s identity cards bill despite it being their election pledge in 2005.
During the coalition Era the legitimacy of policies was put into question as voters didn’t vote for a coalition.

Question 21

Why is there an expectation for Lords to not reject Secondary Legislation?

Answer 21

In 2015 the Lords proposed 2 amendments to tax credits. The Government responded by setting up the Strathclyde reforms on the primacy of the commons. Commons can override any decisions by Lords on Secondary Legislation.

Question 22

How many times were the Blair and Brown governments defeated in the House of Commons compared to the house of Lords?

Answer 22

7 Times in the House of Commons, over 400 in the House of Lords.
Coalition defeated 99 times in the Lords.

Question 23

What 4 factors increase the effectiveness of the Lords?

Answer 23

Party Balance, Increased Legitimacy, Government Mandate, Lords more effective with support from backbench MP’s.

Question 24

How many public bills are introduced on average per session?

Answer 24

25-30 Public Bills.

Question 25

How many draft Bills were produced by Blair/Brown and Cameron/Clegg?

Answer 25

75 labour, 35 Coaltion.

Question 26

What are the 6 key stages in the legislative process?

Answer 26

First Reading, Second reading, Committee stage, Report stage, Third reading, House of Lords.

Question 27

Where do private member bills originate from?

Answer 27

Ballot in which 20 MP’s are chosen at random, Ten Minute rule is where MP’s have 10 minutes to introduce a bill, Presentation.

Question 28

Give 2 examples of Private Member bills?

Answer 28

British Sign Language act 2022 called for by Rosie Cooper.
Down Syndrome act 2022 called for by Liam Fox.

Question 29

How many statutory instruments are passed per year?

Answer 29

3500

Question 30

How many MP’s are on a payroll vote?

Answer 30

40% are inclined to vote alongside the Prime Minister.