Politics UK (textbook) - chapter 17

Question 1

Describe the origins of parliament and its historical role?

Answer 1

The origins of parliament are founded with the king’s need to raise more money.

The two generalisations we can gather from its historical role are:

Governing is done through Parliament in that it serves as a place in which public policy - after being formulated by the executive - is presented to parliament for discussion and approval. Parliament then has the power to amend or reject the policy presented before them.

The second role of parliament is as a body of scrutiny for the government. It looks at the way money is spent as well as the actions of public servants.

Question 2

Types of legislatures?

Answer 2

Policy-making legislature, policy-influencing legislature, legislature with little or no policy effect.

Question 3

How many seats are int he House of Commons?

Answer 3

650.

Question 4

What is the current lifetime of Parliament?

Answer 4

It is five years and an election can be called at any time within that period.

Question 5

What is the first-past-the-post system?

Answer 5

This is where the candidate who receives the most votes wins.

Question 6

What does an MP represent?

Answer 6

An MP represents a constituency which is a geographical are within the UK.

Question 7

What is the current Conservative demographic of MPs?

Answer 7

Highly educated. 8 out of 10 MPs in the conservative party have been to university. They are also usually privately educated with the proportion who went to public school by 2019 was 38 percent. They are also largely middle class.

Question 8

What is the current Labour demographic of MPs?

Answer 8

The proportion of university educated Labour MPs is around 85 percent. This reflects the growing middle class nature of the Labour party as opposed to their previous manual labour working-class background. Only 7 percent are now from a manual labour background.

Question 9

What is the career politician and how has this changed over time?

Answer 9

This is someone who lives for politics, seeks entry to the house of Commons as early as possible and who stays in the House for as long as possible. This is contrasted to the old-style MPs who used to make a mark in other fields before becoming involved in politics and left in order to pursue other interests later on. This is now up by 13.6% between 1979 and 2015.

Question 10

How have under represented peoples become more prevalent in the House of Commons?

Answer 10

Women have grown representing 34% of the membership in 2019. This is from very low figure in the twentieth century. This was driven by Labour using methods such as 50-50 shortlists in order to increase female membership. Methods such as these were also adopted by the Conservatives as their number lagged behind in terms of female representation.

Ethnic minorities have also seen an increase from their very low figures with 65 MPs in 2019 moving up from single digits in the twentieth century, these are mostly Labour MP’s.

Openly LGBT MPs have also increased in number with over 40 in the 2017 election. This was most prevalent in the SNP.

Question 11

Why are still many MPs predominantly white and male?

Answer 11

This is due to the length of membership for MPs which is usually between 10 - 20 years.

Question 12

How much do MPs get paid today and what expenses/privileges are they allowed?

Answer 12

£91,346. Their facilities have also improved over the years with them now being allowed to employ a significant amount of staff and incidental expenses of up to £20,000. This is compared to 1960s when they only had a locker. They also have significantly more space with every MP having an individual office on the parliamentary estate.

Question 13

How long does a parliamenrty session last and what happens at the end of each session?

Answer 13

They normally last for 12 months. Parliament is prorogued, the effect of this kills off any unfinished public business (although some bills are now carried over).

Question 14

How many days does the House usually sit for?

Answer 14

150 days but a total of around 1200 hours, more or less, over this period.

Question 15

How do sittings work in the House of Commons?

Answer 15

The timings vary from day to day with a fixed amount of hours usually in place. This however varies due to the business needed to be conducted. So late night sittings take place to get through the remaining part of a bill.

Question 16

What is the principal function of the House?

Answer 16

They are grouped under: legitimisation, recruitment, scrutiny and influence, and expression.

Question 17

How does the House fulfil its role of legitimisation?

Answer 17

The most important role for the house in this case is the conscious giving of assent to bills and to requests for supply and the giving of assent to government itself.

Question 18

What is a siting in Westminster Hall?

Answer 18

Where MPs meet separately from the main chamber in order to discuss non-contentious business.

Question 19

How has assent changed?

Answer 19

Due to the rise of parties and party cohesion denying assent has largely been nullified.

Question 20

How is a motion passed for early election?

Answer 20

A two-thirds majority is needed to pass a bill for early election. This goes through division lobbies of an aye lobby or no lobby.

Question 21

Where is a minister usually drawn from and where doe this derive from?

Answer 21

Within Parliament. There is no legal requirement for this to be the case, it is just done by convention. This was started by the King so that his ministers could influence the affairs in parliament.

Question 22

What is collective ministerial responsibility?

Answer 22

Where ministers are held to scrutiny in the House for government policy as a whole.

Question 23

What is the most important advantage of ministers being drawn from Parliament?

Answer 23

The convention render the House of commons powerful as a recurring agent.

Question 24

How does scrutiny and influence work in the House and what is a criticism?

Answer 24

Multiple methods of scrutiny and influence occur. These include through debate and the denying of assent. Although the party system assures a majority is most decisions opposing parties allows for a guaranteed form of scrutiny. Scrutiny can also occur in the public view through business leaders, charities, and organisations.

Critics have argued that party majority stops it doing its primary function in its capacity to influence government.

Question 25

How does the House work in terms of expression?

Answer 25

Constituents will have a voice through their MP as well as being able to contact their MP to voice concern in which an MP can pursue means to act on these concerns.

Organisations and charities can also do the same allowing for the expression of their views through the actions of their MPs.

Question 26

What are the restrictions of expression?

Answer 26

MPs have a limited amount of time, an issue may not be given the attention needed, party battle may drown out issues voiced by MPs on behalf of others.

Question 27

What is the use of drafting bills?

Answer 27

A committee allows for changes to a bill to be made before government has decided on the final wording.

Question 28

What is the process of debate on a new bill?

Answer 28

A first reading of the bill with no debate. A second reading with debate on the bill. Once approved the bill is sent to a committee for detailed scrutiny. A report is then generated which can be amended and then a third reading where no amendments can be made before being put to the lords or commons for amendments.

Question 29

What is the most significant part of the committee section of a bill?

Answer 29

The use of evidence taking through witness testimony.

Question 30

What are the criticisms of the legislative process?

Answer 30

The inefficiencies of the committee procedure and the time constraints. Programming motions have been used to help with the time management of the scrutiny of many bills. This is when a set time is allowed for the debate of a bill.

Question 31

What type of legislation is a bill?

Answer 31

A primary legislation.

Question 32

What forms do debates take?

Answer 32

On a substantive motion and on an adjournment motion or on particular policies, the backbench business committee putting forward debates a petitions committee.

Question 33

Which form of business does not need a motion before it?

Answer 33

Question time - this occurs Monday to Thursday.

Question 34

What other opportunity besides question time do MPs have to put questions to ministers?

Answer 34

They can provide table questions for a written answer. These questions often illicit a more detailed response which also includes data.

Question 35

What is Question time an opportunity for?

Answer 35

For backbenchers to raise issues of concern to constituents and to question ministers on differing aspects of their policies.

Question 36

What is the point of each departmental select committee?

Answer 36

Each departmental select committee is established ‘to examine the expenditure, administration and policy’ of the department or departments it covers and of associated public bodies.

Question 37

How much autonomy does a committee have?

Answer 37

Each committee has control of its own agenda and decides what to investigate.

Question 38

What is the purpose of the reports produced by select committees?

Answer 38

They embody recommendations for government action.

Question 39

Why are committees important as a form of scrutiny?

Answer 39

The committees serve as important means for scrutinising and influencing government, especially the former. Ministers and civil servants know they may be called before committees to account for their actions. Committee sessions allow MPs to put questions to ministers in greater detail than is possible on the floor of the house. They give MPs the only opportunity they have to ask questions of officials. Not only will poor performances be noted - not least by the media - but also poor answers may attract critical comments in the committee’s report.

Question 40

What do MPs want to see happen to committees?

Answer 40

They want to see committees strengthened.

Question 41

What is an Early day motion?

Answer 41

Early day motions (EDMs) are motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons for which no day has been fixed. They are usually small but some can get a large number of signatories

Question 42

What is correspondence in relation to MPs?

Answer 42

This is when constituents send emails and letters to raise concerns with their MP.

Question 43

What is the Ombudsman?

Answer 43

It covers errors in the way a public servant handles a matter and it can only be referred to by MPs - a citizen cannot complain directly.

Question 44

What are the limitations of the Ombudsman?

Answer 44

Limited resources, limited remit and limited access to papers - they cannot access Cabinet papers and no powers of enforcement.

Question 45

What are party committees; what happens in practice?

Answer 45

This is the committee of a parliamentary party that is an unofficial means of scrutinising government. In practice, frontbenchers often consult with these backbench committees.

Question 46

What are all-party groups?

Answer 46

They are cross-party groups that include members that come together due to a shared interest. They are registered and have to abide by the rules of the House of commons.