Scrutiny Of The Executive

Question 1

What is parliamentary scrutiny

Answer 1

The role of parliament in examine the policies and work of the executive and holding it to account

Question 2

What is individual ministerial responsibility

Answer 2

Ministers are accountable to parliament; they must explain and justify their policies and actions and those of their department

Question 3

What is parliamentary questions

Answer 3

Government ministers face questions from MPs on the floor of the house. The most significant is PMQ’s

Question 4

Are parliamentary questions effective

Answer 4

Yes as they can hold the government to account for their actions and gives dedicated time to MPs who want to ask the Prime minister questions.

No as MPs are given planted questions by the party whips which make the PM look strong.

Oral questions are important whoever most parliamentary questions take the form of written letters. 35,000 letters compared to 3,600 oral questions 2015-16

Question 5

What is the opposition

Answer 5

The opposition: The largest party in the House of Commons which is not in government.

Opposition: The parties, MPs and peers who are not members of the government party or parties.

Question 6

Is the opposition effective in scrutiny of the government

Answer 6

Yes as there is a leader of the opposition which is like a shadow PM which has priverlages like having 6 questions to the PM during PMQs, moreover there is a shadow cabinet appointed by the leader of the opposition who like the actual cabinet find information about not only how they would implement policy but how the cabinet are preforming.

No they have limited opportunities to set the agenda in parliament, opposition parties are premised to chose a topic for 20 days in the parliamentary year ‘opposition days’ 17 for the official opposition. Moreover the circumstances of the opposition, if the government has a large majority (like Boris Johnson with 80 in 2019) then the opposition cannot mount an effective scrutiny role.

Question 7

What is a select committee

Answer 7

A committee made up of MPs and Lords responsible for scrutinising the work of a government, notably of a particular government department.

Most have 11 members some up to 21, they have the power to summon witnesses and examine restricted documents

In 2015-2016 departmental select committees held 700+ meetings and produced 100 reports.

Question 8

Restrictions of the select committees

Answer 8

In 2011 a report found that governments accept only 40% of the select committees recommendations

Select committees cannot introduce their own legislation

Question 9

What are some important select committees

Answer 9

Liaison Committee- consists of the chairs of all select committees, bi-annually held and questions the prime minister

Public Accounts committee - Examines government expenditure

Public Administration and constitutional affairs committee - examines constitutional issues and thee role of the civil service

Question 10

What is debate in parliament

Answer 10

MPs express their views and try to influence policy. Debate are held for 30 mins at the end of each day

Question 11

Limitation of debates

Answer 11

Many debates are poorly attended, with the advent of E-petitions petitions which gain 100,000 signatures whist they will be debated in parliament many MPs will not attend which means important issues thought of by the public will not be debated.

Question 12

Reasons why parliament is an effective check on the power of the executive

Answer 12

1. The executive control over the parliamentary timetable as been weaken by the creation of the Backbench business committee (BBBC)
2. Backbench MPs provide grater checks on government policy than in teh past, increased incidents of rebellion a constrain on government action
3. The reformed House of Lords in which no party has a majority, is more effective revising chamber
4. Select committees have become more influential with governments accepting around 40% of their recommendations

Question 13

Reasons why parliament is not an effective check on the executive

Answer 13

1. The executive exercises significant control over the legislative timetable and MPs hoping to steer legislation through parliament might face significant obstacles
2. Government defeats are rare - most backbench MPs from the governing party obey the whip on a majority votes (three line whip)
3. Government is usually able to overturn hostile amendments made in the hosue of lords, and can resort to the parliament act to bypass opposition in the lords
4. Select committees have little power. The government is not required to accept their recommendations and often ignores proposals that run counter to its preferred policy

Question 14

What was the scandal in 2009

Answer 14

2009 MP’s expenses scandal