The Main Functions of the House of Commons

Question 1

What is the process for a bill to become a law?

Answer 1

1. Bill presented at 1st reading
2. 1st opportunity to formally debate at the 2nd reading
3. Scrutinised in detail by the Public Bill Committee
4. Third reading
5. Same process in the Lords.
6. Royal Assent

Question 2

What is the Public Bill Committee?

Answer 2

1. After a bill has passed a second reading the details are considered by the PBC.
2. When possible amendments are discussed
3. Returns to the HoC for the report stage, then its 3rd reading.

Question 3

Evaluate the Public Bill Committee:

Answer 3

1. Scrutiny
2. Public Bill Committees vote on party lines and always have a gov majority. Impacts objectivity.
3. On many bills, MPs are expected to vote in the way the whips tell them to, limirs genuine engagement with pros and cons.
4. Many changes are made using statutory instruments-sidestep HoC scrutiny.

Question 4

What is the convention when it comes to providing ministers?

Answer 4

Major office holders in government are members of the House of Commons.

Question 5

What is the disadvantage and advantage of selecting ministers in that way?

Answer 5

1. Can prove their abilities to the legislature and can prove their fitness of office to the executive.
2. Significantly reduces choice.
   *look into this

Question 6

Scrutiny and Debate: the parliamentary Backbench Business Committee

Answer 6

1. Established in 2010
2. Provides backbench MPs 35 days a year in which they can control parliamentary business.
3. MPs can raise issues with the committee, that are usually neglected.
4. In May 2024, debated floating offshore wind.

Question 7

S&D: Petitions Committee and Examples

Answer 7

1. Created in 2015
2. Schedules debates on petitions that had reached 100,000 signatures.
   3.*May 2024 Parliament debated whether or not to create a Palestinian Family Visa Scheme, for those impacted by the war.
3. Got over 103,000 signatures.

Question 8

What are adjournment debates?S&D

Answer 8

1. Held at the end of each sitting.
2. MPs can apply to the speaker to ask a question.
3. Once the MP has asked the question and has gotten a response, other MPs can ask questions if the minister and backbencher agree
4. Limited to 30 minutes and are rarely attended by many MPs.

Question 9

Example of an adjournment debate:

Answer 9

On Tuesday 30th January 2024, the House of Commons debated the subject of the fossil fuel industry’s political lobbying.

Question 10

What is an early day motion? S&D

Answer 10

1. Motions introduced by MPs urging debate on a specific topic.
2. Most do not reach the floor of the HoC
3. Can show parliamentary support for an issue if a lot of MPs lend their support.

Question 11

What is an emergency debate? S&D

Answer 11

1. Under HoC standing order 24, an MP can request an emergency debate.
2. If the speaker allows, an MP has 3 minutes to make the case for an ED
3. If the speaker allows the emergency debate happens.

Question 12

Emergency Debate Old Example:

Answer 12

1. 3 September 2019
2. Speaker Bercow allowed Oliver Letwin’s case for an emergency debate on blocking a no deal Brexit.
3. When it passed 328-301, the Commons could demand the gov extend the negotiations 329-300.

Question 13

Emergency Debate Recent Example:

Answer 13

1. 17th January 2023
2. Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill: Section 35 Power

Question 14

What is an urgent question? S&D

Answer 14

1. If an MP believes that there is issue a minister needs to address at once, they can apply to the speaker to ask an urgent question.
2. If the speaker decides that this will serve public interest, the minister will have to explain ‘what the government is doing on the issue raised.’

Question 15

Urgent Questions Example:

Answer 15

1. Sir Lindsay Hoyle allowed Angela Rayner to ask an urgent question to the PM.
2. She asked if the PM had knowingly broken lockdown rules
   3.* 17 April 2024, David Lammy
3. Ask the Deputy Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs if he will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Question 16

How effective is Parliament at scrutiny and debate?

Answer 16

1. On a 3 line whip, they can be just as swayed as by arguments.
2. Adj debates are almost always an empty chamber.
3. MPs can be independently minded and strong arguments can determine the results of the vote.
4. Add example.

Question 17

What is Parliament’s legitimation role?

Answer 17

Established to provide the consent that would legitimise the decisions of the monarch. Legitimation remains Parliament’s main constitutional function.

Question 18

What convention has developed around legitimation?

Answer 18

The House of Commons should be consulted over committing British forces to military action. Since Iraq War 2003, large-scale parliamentary debates.

Question 19

How well does the government fulfil its legitimising role?

Answer 19

1. UK does not have a codified constitution determining the exact powers the House of Commons has in relation to the government.
2. In 2018, Theresa May decided to join the US-led assaults on the Syrian government, without consulting the House of Commons.
3. Corbyn called it a ‘flagrant disregard’
   4.* January 2024, Rishi Sunak ordered RAF Yemen strikes on Houthi rebels without parliamentary approval.

Question 20

What is Parliament’s representative function?

Answer 20

1. 650 MPs represent every area of the UK, so that the interests of all the British public are represented at Westminster.
2. It has been criticised for not being sufficiently representative of the social configuration of the UK.

Question 21

MPs demographics:

Answer 21

1. 263 MPs, 40% women
2. 90 ethnic minorities, 13.8%
3. 69, LGBTQ+, 11%
4. 23% privately educated, vs 7% nationally
5. Most diverse Parliament ever, but still has a very high proportion of privately educated

Question 22

Is it simplistic to argue that the background of an MP informs their view to politics?

Answer 22

1. The leading private school, Westminster School, has produced very different politicians like Clement Attlee and Tony Blair.
2. The parliaments that legalised same-sex acts 1967 and same-sex marriage 2013 were primarily composed of straight men.