parliament examples and stats

Question 1

how many seats in the HOL?

Answer 1

800 sitting members atm

Question 2

how many hereditary peers are elected by their fellow hereditary peers?

Answer 2

75 out of 92

Question 3

what act reduced the number of h peers in the hOL?

Answer 3

house of lords act 1999

Question 4

how many life peers in hol?

Answer 4

661 appointed by PM (over 80% of HOL)

- they are appointed for life but they cant pass their peerage on to their successors.

Question 5

how is religion incorporated into the HOL?

Answer 5

The UK Parliament automatically awards 26 seats in the House of Lords to bishops of the Church of England. These bishops are able to (and do) vote on legislation, make interventions.

Question 6

how is the inclusion of the church in the hOL concerning to some?

Answer 6

has a harmless legacy of a medieval constitution but a present example of discrimination, religious privilege,

Question 7

makeup of hoc?

Answer 7

• 56% Cons
• 30% lab.
• 7% SNP
• 1% Lib Dem

Question 8

makeup of HOL

Answer 8

• 31% cons
• 22% lab
• 11% Lib Dem

Question 9

Give an example of how the hoc dominated the govt.?

Answer 9

commons can refuse to pass a piece fo legislation ,
e.g ; 2016
commons voted against a new law extending legal opening hours for large stores on Sunday’s -
threat of HOC voting against govt. legit keeps govt. in check
Commons also voted against Theresa May’s ‘no deal Brexit’

Question 10

give on example of the HOL trying to defy the govt. (make the govt. reconsider ) but was bypassed by the parliament Act rules?

Answer 10

2004- The hunting Act

banning fox hunting with packs of hounds

Question 11

what was the Parliament Act 1949 ?

Answer 11

Reduced the power of the HOL to delay legislation to 1 yr.

Question 12

What is the Salisbury convention?

Answer 12

established in 1975 - The Salisbury Convention is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom under which the House of Lords will not oppose/delay any government legislation promised in its election manifesto.

Question 13

what does the bill of rights say about parliamentary privilege?

Answer 13

MP’s ‘ought not to be impeached or quesioned in any court or place outside of parlia.’

Question 14

example of parliamentary privilege in effect?

Answer 14

2008 - investigation of MP Damian Green = Police searched his office without a warrant
Police need a properly executed warrant if tehy are to enter parlia.
no charges were brought and parlia. sought to reaffirm parlia. priv. to prevent re-ocurrence.

Question 15

define parliamentary privilege?

Answer 15

the right of MP’s or lords to make certain statements within parliament without being subject to outside influence.

Question 16

Give an 2 examples of the effectiveness of legitimation by HOC?

Answer 16

2013 - Cameron wished to use the British armed forces against Syria’s Bashar al-Assad govt’s alleged chemical attack, but govt. was defeated by 258 to 272 votes- enforcing principle that HOC is necessary to legitimise leg.
May’s govt process to enter negotiations without consulting the HOC , failed due to the establishment of parliamentary sov. by the 2017 Gina Miller case- reinforcing importance of legitimation and ensuring HOC retains it’s role to legitimise

Question 17

give 1 a) examples of ineffectiveness of legitimation by hOC?

Answer 17

• uncodified constitution = blurred understanding of what HOC’s exact powers are, including it’s legit role; 2018 - May decided to join American led assaults on the Syrian govt. without HOC consult , whereas Cameron did hold a vote on UK air strikes on syria = angry response from MP’s like corbyn - bringing suggestions of a ‘war powers act’ by labour to ensure the govt. holds vote before any military action .

Question 18

give 1b) example of statutory instrument use and whether or not it enhances the role of legitimation by HOC ?

Answer 18

• increasing overuse of stat. instruments - claimed to be an attempt by govt. to ‘govern from the shadows’- avoiding a vote by HOC through use of stat. instruments to push secondary leg. through minimal scrutiny - delegation to govt. ministers and civil servants - leading to possibility of harmful SI’s

Question 19

How is the use of stat. inst. increasing over the years?

Answer 19

since 1980’s - use has increased from 2000 SI’s/yr to 4000 SI’s/yr only a handful of which have been voted down in recent years
and it continues to be used beneath Brexit and covid leg.

Question 20

Proof of effective use of role of legislation by HOC?

Answer 20

• 2019 Johnson tried to introduce a bill that would compress the parlia time table to debate the withdrawal deal- in damaging defeat , this gave the MP’s more power to seize control of the parlia. time table paving the way for for a bill that blocks a no deal brexit by forcing the PM to request for an extension if he cant strike a deal with the EU