Parliament Flashcards
What select committee had a very effective style?
The public accounts committee
chaired by Margaret Hodge 2010-2015
aggressive form of questioning which the media liked to quote
How much extra are select committee chairs paid?
15,000 pounds
Two examples of effective select committees
- Amber Rudd in 2018, Home affairs committee, had targets for deportation when she claimed no such targets existed, resigned.
- David Davis in 2017, Exiting the EU committee had him admit his dept. had conducted no in depth economic-impact reports on Brexit after claiming to have done 57
The Wright reforms: 2 main things
2010
- chairs of select committees elected by secret ballot
- creates Backbench business committee- have 35 days of scheduled debate per parliamentary session
successful backbench business committee debate
2011
reopening enquiry into Hillsborough disaster
police docs were made public and enquiry set up
Bercow became speaker in…
2009
Bercow reforms (2)
- increased time for PMQs. 30mins- 45ish
- more UQs
eg of successful UQ
David Lammy in 2018
asks question about the Windrush generation being mistreated by the Home office. Kickstarted whole huge scandal and an investigation.
Blair’s defeats
only 4 defeats in 10 years of government
no defeats for first 8 years
Coalition defeats and dissent
despite collective 79 seat majority:
6 defeats in 6 years
backbench dissent in 35% of all commons divisions
eg of boycotted opposition day debate
oct. 2017
Tories don’t show up to debate on Universal credit
eg of successful opposition day debate
2009
Lib Dems lead debate on whether Gurkhas should be allowed to stay in the UK as British army veterans
huge amount of publicity gained (supported by Joanna Lumley) and ultimately successful.
number of bishops in HoL
26
number of crossbench peers in HoL
number of unaffiliated
178
22
EGs of ‘expert’ peers in HoL
Alan Sugar for business
Robert Winston for medical
eg of effective HoL scrutiny of legistlation
The legal aid, sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
11 defeats in the lords
The Parliament Act 1911
money bills can only be delayed for one month maximum
The parliament act 1949
lords can only delay non-money bills for a year max
EGs of bills delayed by the lords
- war crimes act 1991
- Hunting act 2004
financial privilege
Financial bills cannot be delayed or amended
used as excuse for HoC to pass un-checked legislation
eg of use of financial privilege
Welfare Reform Bill 2012
Salisbury convention
do not vote against a bill in the party’s manifesto
eg of when Salisbury convention was ignored
2006- they voted against the Identity Cards Bill despite it being in the 2005 Labour manifesto
The House of Lords Act 1999
Hereditary peers reduced to 92
this was compromise with conservative leader in the lords
meant to be part 1 of 2 but part 2 never came to be
