Parliament

Question 1

Give three functions of Parliament.

Answer 1

Functions of Parliament:

• Scrutiny
• Representation
• Legislate

Question 2

Give a scrutiny measure used by parliament.

Answer 2

Parliamentary Scrutiny Measures:

• Select committees
• Vote of no confidence - e.g. James Callaghan in1979
• Opposition days e.g. 2015 - Labour chose to discuss NHS spending and EU.
• The opposition
• PMQs

Question 3

Is Parliament representative?

Answer 3

No

• average age of MPs is 50 (wider population = 40)
• Only 65 BAME MPs (2019)
• 220/650 Female MPs.

Question 4

What did the House of Lords Reform Act 1999 do?

Answer 4

Reduce hereditary peers to 92.

Question 5

Is the HoL representative?

Answer 5

No
- 72% male
- majority over the age of 70.

Question 6

What did the Parliament Act 1949 do?

Answer 6

Reduced the length of time the HoL can block a bill for to 1 year.

Question 7

Give an argument in favour of the HoL.

Answer 7

In Favour:

✔ Life peers are experts in their field - meritocracy.

✔ Scrutinise bills - e.g. health bills receive medical expert scrutiny.

Question 8

Give an argument against the HoL.

Answer 8

Against:
❌ Unrepresentative (age/gender/BAME).

❌ Unaccountable - PM can appoint anyone regardless of merit - ‘Loans for peerages’ scandal 2006

❌ Oligarchy - 92 hereditaries still remain.

Question 9

Give a strength of select committees.

Answer 9

Strengths:
✔ Elected by the whole house - opposition can be chairs - e.g. Yvette Cooper - Home Affairs committee.

✔ Draw attention to issues - e.g. Work and Pensions Committee published report on the collapse of BHS in 2016

✔ Expert testimony - 2015/16 session HoL committees examined 43 bills line-by-line.

Question 10

Give a limitation of select committees.

Answer 10

Limitations:
❌ Limited powers of subpoena - Zuckerberg refused to appear before committee - gave evidence to US committee in same year.

❌ Often ignored - The Brown gov. made cannabis a class B drug regardless of expert testimony.

Question 11

Give three types of Parliamentary committees.

Answer 11

Parliamentary committees:

• Select committees
• Domestic committees.
• House of Lords Committees.

Question 12

Give three theories of parliamentary representation.

Answer 12

• Burkean trustee model.
• Delegate model
• Mandate theory (zach goldsmith)

Question 13

Define the mandate theory.

Answer 13

• MPs are elected to carry out their manifesto promises.

- Voted for an MP are primarily party allegiance rather than personality.

Question 14

What is the trustee model?

Answer 14

Voters trust MPs to make the decision with their best interests in mind.

Question 15

What is the Payroll vote

Answer 15

Ministers HAVE to vote with the government—> collective cabinet responsibility
- should either say there issues in private to resolve it, or resign if don’t agree