2.2 - The Comparative Powers Ofthe House Of Commons And The Hosue Of Lords

Question 1

What are the exclusive powers of the House of Commons

Answer 1

• giving consent to taxation and public expenditure
• ‘confidence supply’ occurs in event of minority government where governing party doesn’t join a formal coalition, eg Conservatives and democratic unionist party in general election in 2017

Question 2

How have the House of Lords had their powers limited

Answer 2

• acts of 1911 and 1949 restrains its power, after the lords broke the convention by interfering with manners to do with tax, this led to the following powers being granted
• lords have no right to delay money bill
• its power to veto non-financial bills was to be replaced by a power of delay, lasting 2 parliamentary sessions
• power of lords also constrained by the 1946 Salisbury convention, where they can’t oppose a bill giving effect to a commitment in a winning party’s manifesto at a general election

Question 3

What are the authoritative powers of the House of Lords

Answer 3

• it acts mainly as a revising chamber,moroposing amendments to legislation
• can delay non financial legislation for one year
• only way lords can veto is if the gov tries to prolong parliament beyond its maximum term

Question 4

In what ways are the House of Lords gradually becoming more important

Answer 4

• removal of hereditary peers from the lords in 1999 meant upper house is now dominated by life peers, increasing the lords’ legitimacy
• as well as this traditional dominance from conservatives came to an end

Question 6

How does the House of Commons contain its supremacy over the hours of lords

Answer 6

• when clashes occurs, the gov can usually make use of its majority in commons to overturn critical HOL amendments
  Eg: 2012, coalition gov rejected several amendments to its welfare reform and work bill
• government can also use the parliament act to force a bill through, last used in 2004 to ban hunting with dogs