Topic 2 Parliament Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 6 features of the Hoc?
A
650 MPs- constituency
Frontbench and backbench MPs
Select committees
Legislative committees
Party whips
Speaker
2
Q
Who makes up the frontbench MPs?
A
Gov ministers, leading spokespersons from opposition parties
3
Q
How many frontbench MPs are there?
A
About 150
4
Q
How many backbench MPs are there?
A
About 500
5
Q
Who are members of select committees?
A
Backbench MPs
6
Q
What are select committees?
A
Permanent committees with various roles
7
Q
What are legislative committees called?
A
Public bill committees
8
Q
What are legislative committees?
A
Temporary, scrutinise proposed legislation and propose amendments
9
Q
Who are party whips?
A
Senior MPs
10
Q
What is the role of party whips?
A
Keep party discipline, inform MPs about parliamentary business, discipline dissident MPs
11
Q
What is the role of speaker?
A
Elected by MPs, neutral, keeps order
12
Q
What is an example of when a speaker would ask an MP to withdraw a comment?
A
Calling another MP a liar
13
Q
What are 3 features of the HOL?
A
Non-elected peers
Bills scrutinised by whole house
3 types of peers
14
Q
What are the 3 types of peers in the HOL?
A
Life
Hereditary
Lord spiritual
15
Q
How many hereditary peers are there?
A
92
16
Q
What are hereditary peers?
A
Inherited title and pass peerage on, replaced by other hereditary peers when die
17
Q
What are life peers?
A
Appointed for life by party leaders
18
Q
What are lords spiritual?
A
Senior bishops of church of England
19
Q
How many life peers are there?
A
687
20
Q
How many lords spiritual are there?
A
26
21
Q
Who are 2 examples of competent Life peers in the HOL?
A
Baroness Lawrence
Baroness Benjamin
22
Q
Who is Baroness Lawrence?
A
Made life peer in 2013, work against racism and crime
23
Q
Who is Baroness Benjamin?
A
Previously tv presenter, contributor to uk arts and culture
24
Q
What is a crossbencher?
A
Member of HOL with no party allegiance
25
What is a **non-affiliated** member of the HOL?
Does **not associate** with **any other group**, including **cross benchers**
26
What are the **6 functions/powers** of the **HOC**?
**Legitimation**
**Gov accountable**
**Scrutiny**
**Constituency representation**
**Interest representation**
**National debate**
27
What is **legitimation**?
**Process** of **making proposed laws legitimate** by **granting consent** (on **behalf of people**)
28
What are **3 ways** the **HOC** can make the **gov accountable**?
**PMQs**
**Select committees**
**Vote of no confidence**
29
What is **scrutiny**?
Ensure **proposed legislation** is **fair, clear** and **does not discriminate against minorities**
30
Who is an **example** of an **mp** that **represents domestic violence charities**?
**Jess Philipps, MP** for **Birmingham**
31
What are **2 examples** of **great issues** of **national debate**?
**NHS waiting times**
**Ukraine War**
32
What are the **4 functions/powers** of the **HOL**?
**Revising**
**Delaying**
**Secondary legislation**
**National debate**
33
What is **revising legislation**?
**HOL scrutinise carefully**, contains **experts**
34
What are the **HOL delaying powers**?
**Delay legislation** for a **year**
35
What is **secondary legislation**?
**Minor regulation** within **major laws**, **HOL** spend time **approving**
36
What are **5 powers/functions** of the **HOC only**?
**Examine/approval** of **gov financial affairs**
**Veto** of legislation
**Vote of no confidence**
**Select committees**
**Final approval** of **amendments** to **legislation**
37
When does a **bill become an act of parliament**?
**Signed by monarch**
38
What are the **4 types of bills**?
**Public**
**Private**
**Hybrid**
**Private members**
39
What is a **public bill**?
**Proposed by gov (most bills)**
40
What is a **private bill**?
**Proposed by organisation**
41
What is a **private members bill**?
**Proposed by mps**
42
Where do **most bills start**?
**HOC**
43
What are the **first 4 stages** of the **legislative process**?
**First reading**
**Second reading**
**Committee stage**
**Report stage**
44
What happens in the **first reading** of a bill?
**MPs informed about bill/proposed legislation, not debated yet**
45
What happens in the **second reading** of a bill?
**Main debate**, if **passed** move to more **detailed scrutiny**
46
What happens in the **committee stage** of a bill?
**Bill committee scrutinises** and may **propose amendments**
47
What happens in the **report stage** of a bill?
**Debated again** with **all passed amendments included**
48
What are the **last 4 stages** of the **legislative process**?
**EVEL vote**
**Third reading**
**Passage to other house**
**Royal assent**
49
What happens in the **EVEL vote**?
If **bill declared English, only English MPs may vote on issue**
50
What happens in the **third reading**?
**Final debate, last chance block legislation**
51
What happens in the **passage to the other house**?
**Pass to HOL, scrutinise** with **same procedures** as **HOC** but as **whole house**
52
What is the **royal assent**?
**Formal passage of bill into law**
53
What is **parliamentary privilege**?
**Right of MPs/lords** make **certain statements** within **parliament** without **subject to outside influence (can’t be sued) -freedom of speech**
54
How does **parliament interact** with the **executive**?
**Backbench MPs/peers**
55
How can a **backbench mp represent** an **outside interest/cause**?
**Campaigning/lobbying/speaking**
56
How can a **backbench mp develop policy on a particular issue**?
**Member of committee formed by own party**
57
How can a **backbench mp act** to try and **regress grievances of constituents against a public body**?
**Lobbying ministers/government officials**
58
What can a **backbench MP speak in when national or constituency interests can be aired**?
**Backbench debates**
59
What can a **backbench MP have active membership in** on a **particular issue**?
**Campaign committee of MPs**
60
What can a **backbench mp take part in** often with **groups of MPs and abroad**?
**Fact finding missions**
61
What is an **example** of an **mp using their parliamentary privilege**?
**Lib Dem mp named Ryan Giggs** as having been person **protected by gagging order on press** about **2011 affair**
62
How is the **significance of backbench MPs limited** even in **committees**?
**Committees proportional to seat distribution** so if **gov has large majority** the **committees have large gov majority**
63
What are **3 powers** that **keep most backbenchers in line most of the time**?
**Patronage**
**Party loyalty**
**Whips**
64
What are the **5 key roles played by backbench peers**?
**Represent sections of society in parliament**
**Represent important political causes- publicity**
**Scrutinise legislation**
**Call gov to account**
**Sitting on committees investigate aspects of gov policy**
65
How can **peers** in the **HOL call the government to account**?
**Every gov department has frontbench representative in lords**
66
How are **members of select committees selected**?
**Secret ballot within parliamentary groups since 2010**
67
What is an **example** of an **mp being selected for a select committee based on expertise**?
**Sarah Wollaston was GP on health select committee**
68
What are **select committees responsible for**?
**Scrutinising a gov department**
69
What do **small committees focus on**?
**aspects of gov work**
70
How do **select committees operate**?
**Less formal, more effective manner**
71
What is the **oldest and arguably most influential select committee** in the **HOC**?
**Public accounts committee (PAC)**
72
What does the **public accounts committee (PAC) scrutinise**?
**Value for money of public spending** and **hold gov to account** for **delivery of public services**
73
What are the **5 reasons** the **public accounts committee is so powerful**?
**Chair = member of main opposition party**
**Chair** has **great prestige** and **higher salary**
**Chair** and **members elected by MPs**
**Members act independently**
**high profile in media**
74
What is the **significance of members of the PAC being elected by MPs**?
**Not controlled by party leaders**
75
What is the **significance of the members of the PAC acting independently**?
**Mainly ignore their party allegiances**
76
What is an **example of a key PAC investigation**?
**2015 effectiveness of cancer care by NHS**
77
What was the **result** of the **investigation into NHS cancer care by the PAC**?
**Gov launched review into cancer treatment** and **set up independent cancer task force** to **improve delivery of cancer treatment by 2020**
78
What do **departmental select committees do**?
**scrutinise work of a gov department** in terms of **efficiency, effectiveness, fairness and value for money**
79
How **many departmental select committees** are there?
**19**
80
How are **members of DSCs elected**?
By **MPs on party basis- proportion of seats determined by party representation**
81
What is the **membership of DSCs**?
Varies between **11 and 14**
82
What do **DSCs largely act independently of**?
**Party allegiance**
83
What is **often the nature of DSC and PAC reports**?
**Unanimous conclusions**
84
Who are the **reports and recommendations of DSCs presented to**?
**HOC** and **receive considerable publicity**
85
Which **groups** can the **PAC and DSCs call witnesses from**?
**Ministers, civil servants, pressure group reps, experts**
86
What are **2 other select committees** in the **HOC**?
**Liaison Committee**
**Backbench Business Committee**
87
Who is the **liaison committee made up of**?
**All chairs** of **departmental select committees**
88
What does the **liaison committee do twice a year**?
**Questions PM extensively over key aspects of gov policy**
89
What does the **backbench business committee do**?
**Determines business of house** for **35 days a year**, decided what **backbenchers debate on those days**
90
What is an **example** of the **culture media and sport select committee** having a **major impact**?
Into **press standards** and **phone hacking**, held **high profile interviews**, led to **leveson inquiry** and some **police investigations**
91
What is an **example** of the **business energy and industrial strategy committee** having a **major impact**?
In **2016 highly critical of sir Philip Green**, said he had to **solve problems** with **BHS pension scheme**
92
According to a **study in 2011, how many recommendations** from **select committees** are **accepted by the government**?
**40%**
93
What is the **official title** of the **second largest party** in the **HOC (opposition)**?
**His majesty’s opposition**
94
What are the **4 roles** of the **opposition**?
**Force gov to explain/justify policies/decisions**
**Highlight gov shortcomings**
**Present alternative proposals to gov** (if appropriate)
**Ready to be alternative gov** in case current gov defeated in next election
95
What are **2 big set events** where the **opposition** are **called on to oppose/respond to the government’s proposals**?
**Queens speech**
**Governments budget**
96
How **many days** are **given to opposition parties** to set **subjects for debate**?
**20**
97
What must **ministers answer** at **PMQs**?
**Written questions from MPs and peers**
98
When are **PMQs**?
**Every Wednesday** at **midday** for **30 mins**
