Effectiveness of parliamentary representatives in holding government to account Flashcards
(168 cards)
1
Q
When do MSPs usually work in their local area?
A
Mondays and Fridays
2
Q
When are MSPs usually in the Scottish Parliament?
A
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
3
Q
What happens in Parliament from Tuesday to Thursday?
A
Debates, question time, and committee meetings
4
Q
What might MSPs do in the evenings or weekends?
A
Hold surgeries, attend events, or speak at meetings
5
Q
What is the role of Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers?
A
They are MSPs responsible for specific policy areas
6
Q
Is the Scottish Government the same as the Scottish Parliament?
A
No, government and parliament are separate
7
Q
What is the Scottish Government responsible for?
A
Governing devolved policy areas in Scotland
8
Q
Who leads the Scottish Government?
A
The First Minister
9
Q
Who supports the First Minister?
A
Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers
10
Q
What is a majority government?
A
One party holds over half the seats
11
Q
What does a majority government allow?
A
Easy law passing, stability, and executive control
12
Q
When did the SNP have a majority government?
A
2011–2016
13
Q
What is a minority government?
A
A party holds less than half the seats
14
Q
What does a minority government need to govern?
A
Support or cooperation from other parties
15
Q
What does a minority government rely on?
A
Compromise and negotiation
16
Q
Since when has the SNP led a minority government?
A
Since the 2016 election
17
Q
What is a coalition government?
A
Two or more parties form a joint government
18
Q
Which parties formed coalitions from 1999–2007?
A
Scottish Labour and Scottish Liberal Democrats
19
Q
How many seats did the SNP win in 2021?
A
64 seats
20
Q
What did the 2021 result lead to?
A
Another SNP minority government
21
Q
What majority did pro-independence parties have in 2021?
A
A majority of MSPs supported independence
22
Q
What agreement was made after the 2021 election?
A
SNP and Scottish Greens formed a cooperation deal
23
Q
What did the SNP-Green agreement involve?
A
Green ministers joined government and backed SNP policies
24
Q
Why was the SNP-Green deal significant?
A
It was the first cooperation agreement since devolution
25
Where do MSPs meet to debate and make decisions?
In the Debating Chamber
26
On which days does Chamber business usually happen?
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons
27
What topics can be debated in the Chamber?
Legislation, policy issues, and public interest matters
28
Who chairs debates in the Chamber?
The Presiding Officer and her deputies
29
Who decides the topics for debate?
The Parliamentary Bureau
30
What can MSPs submit to raise issues for debate?
Motions
31
What do debates allow MSPs to do to the government?
Scrutinise and hold it accountable
32
Can MSPs express concerns during debates?
Yes, they can challenge government decisions
33
What concern did Douglas Lumsden raise in 2022?
Data privacy issues in the Covid vaccine status app
34
What issue did Katy Clark raise in 2023?
Cuts to Greenock Fire Station
35
How did Rhoda Grant criticise the government in 2023?
She demanded an inquiry into A9 dualling failures
36
What do debates help MSPs do regarding public concerns?
Highlight issues and force government attention
37
What can debates lead the government to do?
Reconsider or change policies
38
How many amendments were debated over gender reforms in 2022?
Around 150 amendments
39
What happened after the P1 testing debate in 2018?
All opposition parties voted to scrap the assessments
40
Was the 2018 P1 testing vote binding?
No, but the Cabinet Secretary said he would reflect
41
Are debates open to the public?
Yes, all Chamber meetings are public
42
Why do debates attract media and public interest?
They ensure transparency and public scrutiny
43
What is a downside of debates in terms of decisions?
They often don’t lead to formal decisions
44
Can the government ignore points raised in debate?
Yes, especially if it holds a majority or coalition
45
Are MSPs expected to follow party lines?
Yes, or they risk punishment by the party whip
46
Why do MSPs often vote with their party?
Parties select and fund MSPs, expecting loyalty
47
What happened in 2022 when some SNP MSPs defied party lines?
Nine rebels voted against gender recognition reforms
48
Are debates always well attended?
No, some debates have low attendance
49
What affects debate attendance?
Topic importance, party interest, and other commitments
50
Who controls parliamentary time and debate scheduling?
The government
51
How does government control affect debate content?
It prioritises its own topics and can limit others
52
When are debates usually more heated and high-profile?
During controversial issues like gender recognition
53
What often happens on most government issues?
Bills pass with little opposition or debate
54
What is ‘decision time’ in the Scottish Parliament?
The time when MSPs vote at the end of the day
55
When does decision time usually take place?
5pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
56
What can decision time votes determine?
Whether an issue moves to the next legislative stage
57
What must MSPs consider when voting?
Their constituents' views and party lines
58
Where can you check how an MSP voted?
On their MSP page
59
What role do MSPs play in the legislative process?
They review, amend, reject, or approve bills
60
How does voting help MSPs hold the government to account?
It lets them challenge and modify proposals
61
Why is voting powerful in a minority government?
MSPs can easily defeat government proposals
62
What does the Scottish budget outline?
How public money is spent on programmes and services
63
How do MSPs scrutinise the budget?
By reviewing, debating, and voting on it
64
What happened to the SNP’s budget in 2009?
It was voted down after two Green MSPs refused to back it
65
Why did the Green MSPs vote against the 2009 SNP budget?
They felt there wasn’t enough leeway on home insulation
66
What are MSPs expected to reflect in their votes?
The concerns of their constituents
67
How are MSPs held accountable by the public?
Through elections and media/public scrutiny
68
What can high-profile votes attract?
Media attention and public pressure
69
What happens if there’s a majority or coalition government?
Most bills will pass easily
70
What was the vote count for the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act 2012?
Passed 64–57 with no opposition support
71
Did the Children and Young People Act 2014 pass with opposition support?
No, all other parties voted against it, but it still passed
72
How did the SNP pass their 2017 budget during a minority government?
By striking a deal with the Green MSPs
73
What is party whipping?
Forcing MSPs to vote along party lines
74
How can whipping weaken MSP accountability?
It limits MSPs from voting based on constituents’ needs
75
What happens if the governing party has a strong majority?
It controls votes and weakens opposition influence
76
What can majority dominance in votes lead to?
Less scrutiny and fewer successful challenges
77
What can excessive partisanship lead to in Parliament?
Point-scoring over collaboration on policy
78
What is the first step in introducing a Member's Bill?
Produce a draft proposal
79
What usually follows the draft proposal?
A consultation exercise
80
What happens after the final proposal is lodged?
It must gain cross-party support and no government opposition
81
When can the MSP introduce the bill?
Anytime during the parliamentary session
82
What is the purpose of Members’ Bills?
To let ordinary MSPs propose new laws
83
How many Members’ Bills can each MSP introduce per session?
Two
84
What percentage of passed bills are Members’ Bills?
Around 10%
85
What can Members’ Bills do?
Change existing laws or introduce new ones
86
Who introduced the bill banning physical punishment of children?
John Finnie (Green)
87
What was John Finnie’s bill called?
Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill
88
When did Finnie’s Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill become law?
2020
89
How can MSPs build support for a bill?
Through media and pressure groups
90
Who introduced the bill on free access to sanitary products?
Monica Lennon (Labour)
91
Who supported Monica Lennon's bill?
Girl Guides, trade unions, charities, and individuals
92
What issue did Monica Lennon's bill address?
Period poverty
93
Why are Members’ Bills often seen as ineffective?
Limited time is allocated for them in Parliament
94
What kind of bills get more time than Members’ Bills?
Executive bills
95
What limits the power of Members’ Bills?
Only 10% become law
96
What must Members’ Bills closely match?
The original lodged proposal
97
Why is the initial proposal stage crucial?
To ensure the bill fits within Parliament’s powers
98
How long can it take to write a Members’ Bill?
Up to a year
99
What often happens to slow-moving Members’ Bills?
They lose momentum and are dropped
100
Why do some Members’ Bills 'die'?
They are not prioritised by parliamentary committees
101
Who can ask Parliamentary Questions?
Any MSP
102
What do Parliamentary Questions allow MSPs to do?
Get information from the Scottish Government
103
Why are Parliamentary Questions important?
They help hold the government to account
104
What are the two types of Parliamentary Questions?
Written and oral
105
When must written questions be answered?
Within 10 working days (20 in recess)
106
Where are oral questions answered?
In the Debating Chamber
107
What is General Question Time (GQT)?
A chance for MSPs to question government ministers
108
When does GQT usually take place?
Thursday mornings
109
What must MSPs do before GQT?
Submit questions in advance
110
What does GQT promote?
Transparency and accountability
111
What issues were raised at GQT on 1st June 2023?
Domestic abuse, single-use vapes, and tourism
112
Who answers questions in GQT?
Ministers responsible for specific portfolios
113
What are ministers expected to do in GQT?
Defend policies and provide evidence
114
What makes GQT politically balanced?
MSPs from all parties take part
115
What limits GQT effectiveness?
Time limit (around 20 minutes)
116
What are the new GQT speaking rules?
Questions limited to 45 seconds, answers to 1 minute
117
What reduces genuine accountability in GQT?
Scripted or evasive answers
118
What evasive tactics might ministers use?
Deflecting, reframing, or giving irrelevant answers
119
What can MSPs do if unsatisfied with an answer?
Ask a supplementary question
120
Give an example of GQT in action (2023).
Graham Simpson asked Neil Gray about Ferguson Marine
121
When does FMQs take place?
Every Thursday from 12:00 to 12:45pm
122
Who can question the First Minister?
Opposition leaders and selected MSPs
123
Who asks the first question at FMQs?
Leader of the largest opposition party
124
Who selects other MSPs to ask questions?
The Presiding Officer
125
Are FMQ questions from opposition leaders published?
No, they are listed as 'Question to be taken in Chamber'
126
Why are opposition leaders’ FMQ questions not published?
To prevent the First Minister from preparing in advance
127
What is the time limit for FMQs?
Usually around 1 hour
128
How many questions are usually asked at FMQs?
Less than 10
129
Who gets most FMQ opportunities?
Opposition party leaders
130
Why is FMQs high profile?
It’s covered by media and streamed live
131
How does FMQs promote public accountability?
Public can watch or attend and hold ministers to account
132
What does FMQs ensure?
Regular government accountability
133
How does FMQs stay politically balanced?
Questions come from MSPs of different parties
134
What kind of questions are asked at FMQs?
Policy issues, current events, and challenging inquiries
135
What might First Ministers do to avoid hard questions?
Use avoidance or spin tactics
136
What is an example of FMQ avoidance (2018)?
Nicola Sturgeon avoided Ruth Davidson’s question on school subject choice
137
What tactic did Davidson highlight in response?
The First Minister didn’t provide a progress report
138
What limits FMQ effectiveness?
Short time and few questions allowed
139
Example of low FMQ engagement (2017)?
Only 7 questions answered in 48 minutes
140
How does media exposure impact FMQs?
It increases pressure and public scrutiny
141
Example of FMQs causing media pressure (2016)?
Nicola Sturgeon called numeracy results 'unacceptable'
142
How do FMQs help opposition parties?
They can expose government weaknesses
143
What is a committee in the Scottish Parliament?
A small group of MSPs focused on specific subjects
144
How many members can a committee have?
Between 3 and 15 members
145
How are committee members chosen?
They come from different political parties, reflecting proportional representation
146
Who is the chair of a committee?
The convener, elected by committee members
147
What do committees scrutinise?
Proposed legislation, government policies, and actions
148
What is the role of committees in inquiries?
Gather evidence, hear from witnesses, and produce reports with recommendations
149
What are petitions in committees?
Committees consider public petitions and decide if further action is needed
150
What do committees produce after their work?
Reports with findings and recommendations
151
When do committee meetings usually take place?
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the morning.
152
Where do committee meetings occur?
Usually in public
153
Who attends committee meetings?
Committee members, witnesses, and the public
154
How does a majority government affect committees?
It can control votes, limiting opposition influence
155
What power do committees have regarding inquiries?
They can launch inquiries, gather information, and make recommendations
156
What happens to committee recommendations?
They can influence policy, but the government may ignore them
157
How can committees affect government policy?
Well-researched reports can compel government ministers to respond
158
What makes committees more effective in a single-chamber parliament?
Small, skilled members ensuring in-depth scrutiny
159
How are committees politically balanced?
Members from different political parties collaborate
160
Does the SNP dominate committee chairs?
Yes, they chair 7 out of 15 committees but don’t have majorities in any
161
How does partisan bias affect committees?
It can reduce impartiality and thorough scrutiny
162
What happens in a majority government regarding committees?
Committees may be less effective due to party alignment
163
How do party whips impact committee votes?
MSPs typically vote in line with their party, limiting independent scrutiny
164
What challenges can committees face in gathering information?
Government representatives might deflect or give vague answers
165
What happens if committee sessions become repetitive?
Government representatives may give rehearsed, unhelpful answers
166
Can committees enforce their recommendations?
No, they can only recommend; the government may ignore them
167
How does the role of the convener affect committee work?
If not managed well, the convener can disrupt the flow and cause debates
168
Give an example of a failed committee meeting.
In 2014, Willie Coffey MSP mistreated an expert witness during a Brexit inquiry
