UK Parliament 2.2, 2.3, 2.4

Question 1

Powers of House of Commons:

Answer 1

• Dismiss the government if it loses a vote of no confidence
• Represents the nation and is accountable in a general election
• Must agree on a budget
• Legitimises important decisions eg. Dissolution of Parliament
• Give consent to executive to pass bills – can defeat a bill
• Scrutinises bills in debate and Public Bill Committees
• Select committees monitor work of government

Question 2

Powers of House of Lords:

Answer 2

• Delay legislation for a parliamentary session but can’t veto it
• Veto statutory instruments (secondary legislation)
• Revising chamber – amends legislation and scrutinises govt through committees, ministerial questions and debate
• Can reject proposal if House of Commons wanted to extend Parliament beyond 5 years

Question 3

Why is scrutiny strong in HoL?

Answer 3

Political and professional experience of the Peers

Question 4

Scrutiny of Brexit from HoL:

Answer 4

Proposed 15 amendments to govts EU Withdrawal Bill

Scrutinised for 160 hour in Lords (and 112 hours in Commons)

Question 5

Commons v Lords quote

Answer 5

efficient’ v ‘dignified’ – Walter Bagehot

Question 6

What is a legislative/government bill?

Answer 6

A proposed piece of legislation that can be introduced in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords – if passed in both houses it gets the royal assent and becomes and Act of Parliament
As a result of Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, legislative bill can still become law if opposed by Lords

Question 7

Why are bills introduced by the government strong?

Answer 7

• Will have sufficient time to be debated
• Govt can rely on whips to encourage support for the bill
• If proposed in manifesto, Salisbury convention states that it won’t be obstructed

Question 8

What is a private members bill?

Answer 8

A piece of legislation introduced by a member of the Commons or Lords that is not acting on behalf of the executive

Question 9

What 3 ways can MPs introduce Private Members Bills?

Answer 9

Ballot = held at beginning of each Parliament where MPs put forward proposals for PMB – who enter and top 7 ads debates
Ten Minute Rule = MPs put forward proposals for PMB in a 10 minute speech (likely to be unsuccessful)
Presentation = MP formally present a PMB to HOC

Question 10

How are PMB selected in HoL?

Answer 10

Selected at the start of a new Parliament

Question 11

Why have there been so few PMB become law?

Answer 11

• Lack of influence of backbenchers
• Limited time given to debate them on Friday + many MPs returned to constituencies so insufficient numbers for a debate
• Hostile MPs can filibuster
• PMBs often to do more with raising an issue as opposed to changing law

Question 12

Example of filibuster

Answer 12

2016 John Nicholson MP introduced Turing Bill (pardoned living and dead men for same-sex historic sexual offences) but filibustered by the justice minister Sam Ghyima

Question 13

When does a PMB have the most likelihood to become law?

Answer 13

When it has cross-party support and approved by govt

Question 14

Example of a successful recent PMB:

Answer 14

Homelessness Reduction Act 2018 introduced by MP Bob Blackman x requires local councils to provide more support for homeless

Question 15

Example of a significant PMB:

Answer 15

House of Lords Reform Act 2014 introduced by Dan Byles MP making it possible for Lords to retire, resign or be expelled, enhancing effectiveness of chamber

Question 16

Describe stages of a bill:

Answer 16

1. First reading = bill formally presented to Parliament by minister
2. Second reading = govt front bench introduces bill and principles of bill are debated, with a response and a vote taken from opposition front bench and backbenchers (almost always win)
3. Committee stage = if in Commons it is considered by a House of Commons Public Committee, if in Lords it is considered by whole chamber. Amendments are proposed and each each Public Bill has its own committee to scrutinise
4. Report stage = amended bill is debated and a vote taken and further amendments can be added by MPs not on Public Bill Committee
5. Third reading = further debate and then transferred to other house for same stages (no vote)
6. Royal assent = bill passed in both chambers or if Lords oppose the govt can invoke Parliament Acts and pass it

Question 17

What is a backbencher?

Answer 17

A member of HoC or HoL who are not members of govt front bench or opposition front bench so not bound by collective ministerial responsibility = more independence

Question 18

What principle are backbenchers protected by and what does this do?

Answer 18

Parliamentary privilege = free to raise any issue in Westminster without fear of prosecution in courts for libel or defamation of character

Question 19

Main roles of backbenchers:

Answer 19

• Represent interests of constituents to achieve a redress of grievance
• Scrutinise work of govt
• Consider legislation
• Legitimise govt decisions
• Raising significant issues

Question 20

Describe backbench business committee:

Answer 20

• Established in 2010
• Provides MPs with 35 days a year to control parliamentary business
• Gives MPs opportunity to raise issues for debate in HoC eg. Refugee family reunion

Question 21

Example of backbencher securing a parliamentary debate:

Answer 21

Luciana Berger secured first parliamentary debate on food banks

Question 22

What affects influence of backbenchers + example:

Answer 22

Depends on the size of the governments parliamentary majority
Eg. Blair’s landslide in 1997 and 2001 meant he could survive huge rebellions by backbenchers
In 2003 139 Labour MPs voted against involvement in Iraq but Blair still won parliamentary vote
In 2005 the majority dipped so Blair failed to introduce 90 day detention for terrorist suspects after 49 Labour MPs voted against

Question 23

Who are the opposition?

Answer 23

Second-largest party in the HoCs

Question 24

Benjamin Disraeli quote on opposition:

Answer 24

“No government can be long secure without a formidable opposition”

Question 25

What are the roles of the opposition?

Answer 25

• Ensures that govt justifies its legislative promises and executive decisions
• Creates public debate by giving reasonable arguments
• Provide an alternative government-in waiting
• Leader of Opposition uses weekly PMQ

Question 26

How can opposition be successful?

Answer 26

• Parliamentary timetable allows 20 opposition days when the opposition parties can choose the subjects for debate in Commons (main opposition party choose topic of debate for 17 of them) BUT only one successful since 1978 in 2009 when Lib Dems motion condemned Browns refusal to guarantee UK residency rights to Ghurkha Veterans
• Opposition MPs scrutinise govt legislation in PBC and provide amendments
• Shadow ministers expose mistakes of opposite members in govt = highlight govt failings on policy
• Lords and opposition work closely together
• Force govt to justify policy

Question 27

2 types of ministerial questions:

Answer 27

Written and oral

Question 28

Oral questions:

Answer 28

Executive can be regularly questioned by both chambers and held accountable
HoCs from Monday to Thursday an hour of parliamentary time put aside for oral questions to ministers – in HoLs this is half an hour directed specifically to govt rather than a department

Question 29

Written questions:

Answer 29

Ministers must respond within 2 weeks to Lords and 1 week to Commons

Question 30

What are prime ministers questions?

Answer 30

PM expected to attend HoCs every Wednesday to respond to questions from the chamber
Important for PM to be held accountable for govt policy
Leader of Opposition asks 6 questions, leader of next biggest party gets 2 and then other MPs

Question 31

Quote on PMQs

Answer 31

Sir Gerald kaufman MP in 2015 said PMQs were ‘an exchange of pointless and useless declamations’

Question 32

Why are PMQs often not effective?

Answer 32

Planted questions from governing party MPs = ‘Gardeners Question Time’