Parliment- scrutiny Flashcards
parliment and select committees
How effective is the uk parliment- is their unity?
They can be, in older parliments we saw many backbenchers unite however we are seing many rebels from backbenchers peaked in 1950s
Examples of unity in parliment?
-Theresa Mays gov-lost 30+ bills
-D Cameron defeated more then ever in coalition as only a 20 seat majority
-Tony Blair not defeted for 7 years due to his hugh majority
Rebels in parliment?
Sept 2019- 21 tory rebels voted againts B Johnsons no deal brexit, passing motion for backbenchers to be incharge of time table, all 21 lost the whip and removed from parliment. An example of this would be Nicholas Somes winston churchills grandson
Is Majority size neccessary in parlient?
Yes, we can see the partys with a smaller majority get defeted more whereas the governments with the bigger majoritys get almost no defetes
E.g. Blairs gov only got 4 defetes
only time they got defeted after election in 2007 when majority side decresed
Theresa May minority gov got 33 defetes
Reasons why parliments an affective check on power on the executive?
- Backbenchers provide great checks more then in past
-Gov defetes are rare, back bench obey whip
-Select committees have little power as gov dont have to accept reccomendations - The reformed lords
Reasons why parliament isn’t an effective check on power of the executives?
-the executives controll over parliment
-gov do listen to select committes 40% or reccomendations are accepted
What do select committes do?
checks that gov and public bodies are doing their jobs properly
-Launch investigations and call wittnesses
-Publish reports and findings with reccomendations
-Scrutinise drafts and bill before debated in public
What is the public account committe (PAC select committees)?
The most important select committes- chaired by a senior backbencher (Meg Hiller)
-Overviews of how efficiently gov spends money - launches enquireies in major govs projects
Examples of inquiries of public select committes?
The university technical collages
they investigated why 10/58 of the UTCS since 2014/15 to 2018/19 had since closed
How many select committes are there?
28 select committes
How are select committes made up?
Usually made up of 11 members reflecting the party balance in the commons
Sit in a commons chamber in a horseshoe
How are committe chairs selected?
By a secret ballot
What are the aims of select committes?
Achieve consensus and umanity
Acts of select committes?
-support opposition
-review major ministerial appointments
-examine restricted documents
How do they impact the government?
-scrutinise the prime minister
-gov must respond to select committee within 60 days
-can reject or divide governments
-have ability to review major ministerial appointments
-push gov into right direction
Examples of select committes on major issues?
Mike Ashley and sports direct
all occured due to accusation of extreme unfair treatment to employyes in sports direct
Aims- investigate terms and conditions of workers in sports direct
Reccomendations-thats ashley should review gov, complement working practice review with inderpendant of corprate gov arangments
How many evidence sessions are usually held and what makes a good witness?
6 sessions
-good witness is political evidence and knows what they want to say and says it
Civil servants and select committes?
-Civil servents summoned to hearings by select committes to explain failings in departments
-must be honest as they are witnesses however have to be politically neutrall
- Cant blame or criticise minister for problems
What is the osmethy rules for civil servents in select committes?
Makes clear that civil servants are accountable for ministers. so when in select comittes their doing so not in a personal capactity but to represnet their ministers
-Cant give personal views
-Personally accountable for delivery of gov policy cant shift blame back to minitsers
Reasons to suggest select committes are effective in scrutinising executives?
-sc scrutinise gov policy on contreversial issues
-sc reccomenedations accepted by the govt 40%
-election of chairs and members by mps has enhanced inderpendance of sc secret ballot
-question ministers, civil servants are outside experts can request accses to govt papers
Reson why govts arent affective at scrutinising executives?
-have no power in govt to propose policys as they can ignore recomendations made by sc
-ministers and cs may not provide much evidence when questions, documents may be denied
-some members dont attend reguraly
-all govt with a majority in commons will have a majority in sc
