UK Legislative Branch: Parliament Flashcards
Structure of the parliament
HOC
- 650MPs
- Elected using FPTP
- 68k voters per MP
HOL
- Unelected life, hereditary and church bishops
Party allegiances in the House of Commons
2021
- Conservative 365MPs
- Labor 200MPs
Key positions in parliament
The prime minister
- Leader of largest signle party
The speaker
- Tries to keep order, Lindsay Hoyle 2019
Leader of the House of Commons
- Ensures HOC runs smoothly, Jacob Rees
Whips
- In charge of discipline, 21 whips removed under Johnson
Frontbench
- Ministers, James Cleverly Home Secretary
Backbenchers
- Ordinary Mps
Main functions of parliament
Legislative
- Laws are introduced, debated and passed
Representative
- Parliament represents people
Scrutiny
- Parliament checks, scrutinises the government
Deliberative
- Parliament is forum for debate and discussion
Legislative process in the UK
Green Paper
- Discussion document
White Paper
- Detailed plan for legislation
First Reading
- Introduction of the bill
Second Reading
- Debate + vote
Committee stage
- Public Bill committee examins the bill
- Government always has mojority
Report Stage
- Amendments considered by HOC
Third Reading
- Final debate
HOL stages
Secondary legislation Types
Types of PMB
Ballot bills
- 7 fridays given to ballot bills
- MPs can enter ballot, 20 bill chosen
- Assaults on Emergency Workers Act 2018
10m rule bills
- 10m slot to present issue, after Question Time on Tues/Wed
- Guardianship Act 2017
Presentation bills
- MP allowed to introduce their bill during friday sitting
How well does parliament perform its representation role?
Performs very well
- All parts of UK represented geographically
- Wide range of parties
- Commons more diverse 34% females 2019
Performs not well at all
- FPTP benefits only 2 largest parties
- Women under represented
MPs as part-time representatives
18% in 2017-19 parliament
Theories of representation
Burkean or trustee theory
- Trust the Mp to make the best decision for you
- Ben Clarke Article 50 2017
Delegate theory
- Mps votes accroding to their constituency
- Stepehen Loyd, Eastbourne 2017 Aricle 50 for
Mandate theory
- Vote in line with their party
- 2021 Brexit deal, Conservative MPs expexted to support
Ways to scrutinise the government
- Debates in the chamber
- Parliamentary questions
- Parliamentary committees (standing and select)
Scrutiny of the executive: Parliamentary Debates
Syrian airstrike 2013
- Cameron proposed airstrikes
- Highly charged
- Defeated 285-272
How effective are debates?
- Only few MPs change their mind
- Governmenr usually guaranteed to win
- Money bills weakly scrutinised or debated
Scrutiny of the executive: Parliamentary questions
- 2017-18 55k questions asked
- PMqs every wednesday afternoon
2023 Starmer asked Sunak if he lost control over economy
How effective are PMQs?
Effective
- High profile and widely publicised
- Forces PM to directly address issues
- Opportunities for opposition leader to show leadership
Less effective
- Most questions are theatrical
- Many MPs ask question to show government in a good way
Public bill committees
Go through legislation and can make changes to the bil
- Temporary
- Equality Bill committee 2010
Advantages and disadvantages of public bill committees?
Advantages
- Allow backbench MPs to scrutinise legislation
- Opportunities for pressure groups/individuals to put forward their views and suggestions
- Expert witness called
Disadvantages
- Government always has a majority
- Membership decided by whips
- Membership temporary
- 0.5% of opposition amendments are accepted
Select committees
Checks that government and public bodies are doing their job
properly
- Chair elected by secret ballot
- Public Account Committee HS2
- Standing
How effective are select committees in scrutinising and influencing the executive?
Effective
- Many committee chairs from opposition parties
- Expert witness called
- Chairs and members are now elected by secret ballot
- Many committee members have specialist experience
Less effective
- Government always has a majority
- Membership decided by whips
- Party loyalties play a significant role
- Government is under no obligation to accept suggestions
- Many answers vague
Lords committees
- Examine specialist subjects
- 6 main permament committees and other short term set up
- Covid 19 committee
Ways of how Mp can represent their voters
- Voting on legislation
- Proposing legislation via PMBs
- Speaking in debates
- Asking questions
- Committees membership
Ways in which opposition can challenge the government
- Official opposition
- Other opposition
- 20 days set aside to chose the topic for debates
- Rebellions
Strengths and weaknesses of the opposition in UK politics?
Strengths
- Official Opposition gets some extra funding and
privileges
- Opposition position itself as an alternative government
- Backbench rebels from within the governing party
Weaknesses
- Government possesses greater resources
- Opposition successes are rare
- Rebellions are rare
Does the executive dominate parliament?
Dominance
- Party whips + discipline
- Governments igore commitees 60% of the time
- Membership decided by whips
Less dominance
- Minority government ca be defeated
- MPs can ask questions to the PM
- Select commitees chair of chosen by the secret ballots
