Parliamentary scrutiny

Question 1

Questioning: Strengths

Answer 1

+ Parliament requires that ministers, inc PM, answer questions by backbenchers in HoC
+ PMQs forces PM to be well informed about policy and the wider news agenda. Give leader of the opposition chance to ask several questions
+ Opportunity to regularly question PM is significant, and quite unique. Important opportunity for HoC to challenge PM E.g. In 2017 Corbyn used PMQs to effectively overturn the premium-rate number used to call Universal Credit
+ Speaker can raise “urgent questions”, which allow the HoC to demand the attendance of the relevant minister so they can answer questions and face criticism

Question 2

Questioning: Disadvantages

Answer 2

• Political theatre rather than proper scrutiny. Speaker often intervenes to address MP’s behaviour
• Too many questions are planned from backbenchers to paint PM in positive light
• PMQs become exercise in point-scoring. “Punch and Judy” politics

Question 3

What are public bill committees?

Answer 3

Formed to scrutinise a bill and consider any amendments

Bill reaches committee stage after second reading in Commons

Question 4

Evaluation of legislative/public bill committees

Answer 4

+ Strengthened in 2007, improving scrutiny of legislation

• Far less independent than select committees as membership is dominated by party whips
• Amendments that are contrary to a majority govs wishes are rarley accepted

Question 5

What are select committees?

Answer 5

Allow for scrutiny of government departments
Reflect composition of HoC - majority gov always have majority on the committee
Have power to send for “persons, papers and records”
Due to implementation of Wright Report, executive no longer controls membership of select committees
Can act independently and scrutinise depts effectively

Question 6

Strengths of select committees

Answer 6

+ Interrogative style of questioning and witnesses have no notive of questions
+ Committee members tend to be independently minded, so feel freer to be critical
+ Chairs of committees get paid well and so the position attracts career and independently minded politicians
+ Select committee reports receieve a lot of publicity, especially when they are critical
+ Successes include Margaret Hodge and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) who, in 2013, held Amazon, Starbucks and Google to account ofr the limited tax they pay in the UK

Question 7

Weaknesses of select committees

Answer 7

• Often review problems after they have occurred and criticise the gov for this
• Gov not obliged to act upin recommendations of select committees
• Ministers have huge amount of support, MPs have very little research support

Question 8

What are other forms of scrutiny?

Answer 8

In extreme circumstances, the HoC can pass a vote of no confidence in the gov and dismiss it
Individual MPs draw attentiom to grievances of constituents
Debating

Question 9

Activities of the opposition

Answer 9

Ability of opposition to scrutinise the executive is often affected by factors beyond its control e.g. size and unity of governing party and length of time the gov has been in office
However, oppositions can still influence popularity and power of a gov in certain circumstances
E.g. Blair opposition (1994-1997) very effective highlighting weakness in Major gov as well as presenting itself as good alternative gov
Cameron opposition )2005-2010) underlined divisions in final years of Blair gov and Brown gov