Parliament Flashcards
What sort of structure does parliament have ?
Bicameral
How many MPs are there?
650
What is a back bencher?
An MP who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position
Who was re-elected as an independent after being in a party?
Sylvia Hermon was an ulster unionist MP but was re-elected as a independent in North down in 2010 and 2015
When was the expenses scandal?
2009
What is parliamentary privilege?
The legal immunity enjoyed by members of parliament.
What are the two Most important elements of parliamentary privilege?
- Freedom of speech
- Exclusive cognisance (right of each house to regulate its own internal affairs)
What are the conditions under the recall of MPs act 2015?
If MPs who have been imprisoned or suspended for at least 21 sitting days. after 8 weeks 10% of eligible electors have signed a recall petition
What are the three main roles of party whips?
- ensuring MPs attend parliamentary votes
- issuing instructions
- enforcing Discipline within the parliamentary party
Which speaker and when was forced to step down?
Micheal Martin in 2009
What sort of speaker was bercow?and why?
A reformist, he wanted to enhance parliamentary scrutiny of the executive and champion back bench MPs
What act reduced the number hereditary peers?
The House of Lords act 1999
Which party dominated the house of lords before 1999?
The conservatives
What proportion of women in 2017 are members of the House of Lords compared to prior 1999?
2017 - 26%
Before 1999 - 9%
What is the Salisbury doctrine?
Bills implementing manifesto commitments are not opposed by the lords
What did the parliamentary act of 1949 do?
Reduced the time the House of Lords could block bills passed by the commons to 1 parliamentary session
What act did the House of Lords suspend for 1 year?
Hunting act 2004
What act gave the prime minister the right to appoint members to the upper house for life?
The life peerages act 1958
In 2017 how many conservatives were in the House of Lords?
253
How many women are in the House of Lords as of 2017?
207 - 26%
What are the exclusive powers of the House of Commons?
- right to insist on legislation
- financial privilege
- power to dismiss the executive
What are the main conventions underpinning the relationship between the two chambers of parliament?
- Salisbury doctrine
- reasonable time
- secondary legislation
What is confidence and supply?
Requirements that the government must be able to command a majority in the House of Commons on votes of confidence and of supply (e.g. budget). Also used to refer to an agreement between the governing party and a smaller party in which the latter agrees to support the government on key votes in return for policy concessions .
What is confidence motion?
A motion of confidence in the government. It may be initiated by the government as a threat of dissolution, or used to approve the formation of a new government under the fixed term parliaments act 2011.
What is a motion of no confidence?
A parliamentary censure motion initiated by the opposition which if passed requires the resignation of the government
When did the Salisbury doctrine come under strain?
In 2005 when the House of Lords voted against an identity cards bill, even though it featured in labours manifestos
What is the the reasonable time convention?
The convention that the House of Lords should consider all government business within a reasonable time. It should not deliberately overlook or delay consideration of government bills and ensure they are passed by the end of the session
Examples of the House of Lords blocking legislation?
Sexual offences (amendment) act 2000 and the hinting act 2004
How many times was the Blair and Brown government defeated in the House of Commons compared to the House of Lords?
Only 7 times in the House of Commons, but over 400 times in the House of Lords
How many times was the 2010-15 coalition government defeated in the House of Lords?
99 times
What factors have increased the effectiveness of the House of Lords?
- party balance
- enhanced legitimacy
- government mandate
- support from MPs
What are the two types of legitimacy?
Output and input
What are the functions of Parliament?
- legislation
- scrutiny
- debate
- recruitment of ministers
- representation
What is a public bill?
A bill concerning a general issue of public policy, introduced by a government minister
What is green paper?
A government document setting out various options for legislation and inviting comment.
What is white paper?
A government document setting out a detailed proposal for legislation
How many draft bills were published between 1997 and 2010?
75
What is the public bill stage? And who considers the stage?
Where members of the public can comment on proposed legislation online. The comments are then collated by the public bill committee
What are the stages legislation must go through before becoming law?
- first stage
- second stage
- committee stage
- report stage
- third reading
- House of Lords stages
In the 2015-16 session how many public bill committees were there?
22
What are private member bills?
A bill sponsored by a back bench MP.
What are the three roots Private member bills can take?
- ballot
- ten minute rule
- presentation
In the 2017-2019 session how many private member bills were passed by 10 minute rule?
1
Why might the government want MPs to propose private member bills?
So that the government isn’t seen as decisive on controversial issues, alienating certain voters e.g. abortion act 1967
What is secondary legislation?
A law made by ministers, who have been granted this authority by an act of Parliament
What is the delegate model of representation?
The delegate model of representation is a model of a representative democracy. In this model, constituents elect their representatives as delegates for their constituency. … This model was contested by Edmund Burke.
