The exclusive powers of the House of Commons/Lords 2.2

Question 1

what is a very important piece of legislation which HOC can do but HOL cannot

Answer 1

to give consent to taxation and public expenditure.

Question 2

what is a ‘confidence and supply’

Answer 2

A type of informal coalition agreement sometimes
used in the event of a hung parliament where the minority partner agrees to vote with the government on key issues, usually in exchange for policy concessions. (e.g. Theresa May and the DUP)

Question 3

how did the house of lords lose its ability to vote of financial legislation

Answer 3

‘People’s budget’ of 1909 = were not happy aout how this would affect gentry
- rejecting the budget = prolonged constitutional crisis, resolved by the passing of the Parliament Act two years later.

Question 4

since the 1909 ‘People’s budget’ fiasco, what can and cannot the Lords do with specific legislation

Answer 4

• the Lords had no right to delay money bills
• its power to veto non-financial bills was to be replaced by a power of delay lasting two parliamentary sessions (equivalent to two years).

Question 5

what did the Parliaments Act 1911 and 1949 do to the HOL

Answer 5

reduced the power of the HOL significantly:
1911 = Lords could no longer veto bills outright – they could only delay them for up to two years.
1949 = Reduced the time Lords could delay legislation from two years to one year

Question 6

what is the Salisbury Convention

Answer 6

The convention whereby the House of Lords does not delay or block legislation that was included in a government’s manifesto.

Question 7

what are the three distinctive powers of the House of Lords then

Answer 7

• acts as revising chamber, proposes amendments to government legislation, (up to the government to decide whether to accept or reject.)
• can delay non-financial legislation for one year.
• if government attempts to prolong the life of parliament beyond five years = Lords can hold a general election.