Parliament

Question 1

Why is the HoC descriptively representative?

Answer 1

41% female, 14% ethnic minority (17% in UK), 64 LGBTQ

Question 2

Why isn’t the HoC descriptively representative?

Answer 2

very middle class, 23% privately educated (7% of the population)

Question 3

Why is the HoL descriptively representative?

Answer 3

they’re slowly improving, number of ethnic minority lords has doubled since 2001.

Question 4

Why isn’t the HoL descriptively representative?

Answer 4

69% male, 94% white

Question 5

Why is parliament democratically representative?

Answer 5

MPs are elected, they represent a specific area, clear mandate from the people, hear constituent grievances.

Question 6

Why isn’t parliament democratically representative?

Answer 6

FPTP, some MPs are elected without a majority, HoL unelected, no direct mandate.
5 MPs elected with over 50% 2024

Question 7

What are the three functions of Parliament?

Answer 7

representative, scrutiny, legislative.

Question 8

What is parliamentary ping pong?

Answer 8

When a bill goes back and forth between the two houses.

Question 9

What are the types of Lords?

Answer 9

Lords spiritual, hereditary, people, life.

Question 10

What % of votes and seats did Labour in 2024?

Answer 10

34% votes, 63% seats.

Question 11

What’s an example of an MP representing their constituents?

Answer 11

Nandy voting for Brexit legislation despite her personal beliefs because her constituents voted 63-37% for Brexit.

Question 12

What’s an example of an MP not representing their constituents?

Answer 12

Pidcock consistently voted against Brexit when her constituents voted 55-45%.

Question 13

What can’t the HoL do?

Answer 13

delay money bills, defeat measures in govt manifesto (Salisbury convention), have select committees focused on scrutinising departments.

Question 14

How long can the Lords delay a bill for?

Answer 14

1 year. (1949 Parliament Act)

Question 15

How is Parliament effective at scrutinising the govt?

Answer 15

PMQs, urgent Qs, Public Bill Committees can call on experts outside parliament, select committees much more independent, Wright reforms give backbenchers more control and ability to debate issues of their choosing, opposition have privileged position, lords can debate freely.

Question 16

Trustee model

Answer 16

MPs decide based on their judgement

Question 17

Delegate model

Answer 17

MPs represent constituents views

Question 18

Party model

Answer 18

MPs represent their party, elected with a mandate

Question 19

Lords forced U turn

Answer 19

2020 forced govt to u turn over internal-markets bill, to protect rights of devolved parliaments

Question 20

Assisted dying bill

Answer 20

PMB

Question 21

PMBs success rate

Answer 21

2010-24 4.4% received royal assent

Question 22

Rwanda Bill

Answer 22

delayed by HoL through ping pong but couldn’t be changed or stopped

Question 23

Public Bill Committee’s

Answer 23

Whips influence, around 3/5 have relevant expertise, anyone can submit evidence, debate each clause, not as much media attention so less partisan

Question 24

Secondary legislation

Answer 24

2/3 not debated, MPs can ask for a vote to annul it up to 40 days later

Question 25

May defeats

Answer 25

28 times in just over 2 years

Question 26

Lords defeats

Answer 26

2022-23 125 times

Question 27

Commons power over lords example

Answer 27

MPs rejected all Lords amendments to Illegal Migration Bill July 2023

Question 28

Select Committee success

Answer 28

only 40% ideas adopted by govt

Question 29

effectiveness of Select Committees

Answer 29

MPs take it seriously, chairs elected by MPs, experts called in (Martin Lewis called into select committee on finance education in schools), former shadow minister of education Helen Hayes chairs the education committee, MPs stay in same committee for duration of parliamentary term so build up expertise

Question 30

Liaison Committee

Answer 30

brings together all select committee chairs, twice-yearly appearances of PM, not covered by Wright reform’s- May 2020, govt succeeded in appointing Sir Bernard Jenkins who wasn’t a chair of a select committee

Question 31

Lords experts

Answer 31

Timpson- prisons, Adebowale- was chief exec drug charity Turninf Point

Question 32

Yvette Cooper select committee

Answer 32

questioning of Home Sec Amber Rudd in 2018 led to ‘serious concern’ over the accuracy of her previous statements which led to her resignation

Question 33

PMQs

Answer 33

Wed 12pm, direct access to PM and ministers, questions from official opposition and other parties

Question 34

Effectiveness of PMQs

Answer 34

direct scrutiny, PMs dread it, phrases can be picked up by the media- Blair’s ‘weak weak weak’ about Major, Corbyn successfully used PMQs in 2017 to overturn a premium rate number for Universal Credits

Question 35

Ineffectiveness of PMQs

Answer 35

only 30 mins, often rowdy, clucking, barking and roaring ‘Alex Salmonds Poodle’ 2015, used to get one-liners/soundbites, pre-prepared questions means scripted statements. Starmer called Johnson ‘Pinocchio PM’

Question 36

Urgent questions

Answer 36

allow more frequent opportunities for backbenchers to raise matters of importance 2023-4 session 56 questions

Question 37

Official Opposition

Answer 37

opposition choose subject for debate, large marjorie makes opposition weak

Question 38

Lords select committees

Answer 38

don’t shadow specific departments focus on broader issues, investigate public policy, proposed laws, and government activity

Question 39

Lords appointment

Answer 39

appointed my Monarch (advised by PM) and is vetted by HoL Appointments commission