Parliament

Question 1

roles of Parl

Answer 1

• to legislate
• to debate
• to represent
• to scrutinise gov
• legitimise executive

Question 2

why is whipping weak in HOL

Answer 2

• life memberships of lords= less reliant on good will of party leadership= can’t be removed like in HOC
• cross benchers are independent= no party whip to control them
• less likely to be recruited into executive
  = less need to be a ‘team player’

Question 3

define frontbencher

Answer 3

MP or HOL member who holds ministerial or shadow ministerial position
= Lord Cameron, Starmer

Question 4

describe backbencher

Answer 4

MP or HOL member wo ministerial or shadow position= less ability to influence gov but still hold opinions of their constituencies
= May, Jeremy Hunt
- Representing Constituents, Scrutinising the Government, Contributing to Policy Development, Party Discipline and Whipping, PMBs, form select committees

Question 5

define parliamentary privilege and example

Answer 5

legal immunity enjoyed by members of Parl, allowing them freedom of speech to raise issues wo fear of prosecution
= 2009 MP expenses= many MPs submitted inappropriate claims for expenses e.g. cleaning costs, second homes
= Douglas Hogg claimed duck houses
= purchased for £1,600= was deemed by public and media as an absurd and inappropriate use of taxpayers’ money

Question 6

describe the speaker and key example

Answer 6

• presides over debates in chamber
• elected by MPs in secret ballot and can’t vote= democratic and legitimate= unbiased and neutral
• Speaker Bercow 2009-2019= granted more than 670 requests for urgent questions in HOC= called for backbenchers to speak in debates especially on Brexit
  = approach to allowing more diverse voices to be heard in the chamber, particularly those of younger MPs and those from underrepresented groups
  = took steps to reduce misogyny and discriminatory behaviour in the chamber, making it clear that such conduct would not be tolerated

Question 7

describe a public bill

Answer 7

bill concerning general issue of public policy introduced by a gov minister= 25-35 public bills a year
- needs to be approved by HOC and HOL
= 2001-2002= 90 defeats in HOL and 0 defeats in HOC
= HOL are independent, weaker whip system and less reliant on public opinion due to expertise and life membership
- spike in HOC defeats in 2017-19= 48 defeats= due to no majority and Brexit proposals

Question 8

describe a private members bill

Answer 8

bill sponsored by a backbench MP
- only 7 in 2019-2021
- time constraints and difficulty of persuading MPs
= only on fridays in HOC 9.30AM-2.30PM
= MP only gets 10 mins to make speech of proposal
= requires large support or neutrality of gov
- Abortion Act 1967 (David Steel, Liberal MP)
- Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 (Chris Bryant, Labour MP)
= increased penalties for assaults on police, paramedics, and other emergency workers

Question 9

changes to HOL

Answer 9

• Pre-reform= over 700 hereditary peers in total
• 1999 HOL Reform Act= only 92 HPs
• As of 2018, around 6% of House of Lords members were from ethnic minorities, doubling from nearly 3% in 2000
• Life Peers Act 1958= make the Lords more modern and reflective= appointed for expertise rather than birthright
• Constitutional Reform Act 2005= ended the HOL role as highest court in UK= transferring function to SC= separate the judiciary from the legislature and executive
• 1949 Parliament Act= reduced HOL delaying power to one year= used 4 times since 1949= Hunting Act 2004 and Sexual Offences Act 1991
• PM appoints HOL= promotes bias= Blair appointed 92 LPs and Boris appointed David Frost who was Chief Brexit negotiator and close adviser in 2020
• 2006 Cash for peerages scandal= allegations of corruption and improper influence= £50,000 to each Lord
• 2006 Lord Levy arrested on suspicion of attempting to influence the grant of peerages in return for donations to Labour party
• Reform of the House of Lords Appointment System= Appointments Commission was tasked with conducting more rigorous checks to ensure that there was no link between donations to political parties and peerage nominations
• LP Lord Harry Woolf was former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and was notable for major legal reforms and work on access to justice= respected voice on legal and constitutional issues

Question 10

adv of parl ping pong

Answer 10

• more representative= more legitimate
• more through analysis and scrutiny= decrease loopholes and potential issues in the future
• scrutiny of chambers= backbenchers have power swell

Question 11

disadv of parl ping pong

Answer 11

• time consuming= can increase political apathy
• force unwanted compromise= decrease quality of the bill

Question 12

describe Salisbury Convention

Answer 12

collective belief that the HOL shouldn’t vote against a bill that seeks to enact a manifesto commitment of the governing party on the 2nd to 3rd reading
= if HOC is frustrated with HOL, they can vote to abolish the HOL

Question 13

describe confidence votes

Answer 13

a vote in which MPs express whether they support gov policies or leadership
= gov must retain confidence of the HOC to stay in power
= if gov loses a confidence vote, it is typically expected to resign, and a GE may be called, or a new gov may be formed
- 23 votes of no confidence since 1945= only 1 gov defeat= 1979 Callaghan lost by 1 vote due to issues of rising inflation and unemployment, Industrial unrest and minority gov

Question 14

describe 1911 and 1949 Fixed Term Parl Act

Answer 14

• established that general elections would be held every five years on a fixed date
• restricted the ability of the Prime Minister to call an election when circumstances demanded it
• A motion for an early GE is agreed either by at least 2/3 of the HOC (a supermajority) or by the PM requesting it
• 2017 the House of Commons rejected two amendments made by the House of Lords to a bill which enabled the UK to start negotiations to leave the EU
• Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 prevent the House of Lords from stopping legislation passing through Parliament and from debating a money bill, which is a bill that only involves government spending or taxation

Question 15

describe select committees

Answer 15

• group of MPs or Lords that investigate specific issues in detail
• can call in officials for questioning and gov must respond before 60 days= SCRUTINISE GOV for policy accountability

Question 16

describe SC reform

Answer 16

• used to be chosen by whips= promote party alignment and gov leadership
• 2010 Wrights Reform= MPs voted for committee chairs= aim of ensuring independent from party leadership and had greater authority to hold gov to account
• introduction of secret ballots to elect chairs= reduce party interference and allow MPs to choose individuals based on merit rather than political alignment
• Liaison Committee (coordinates work of all the SEs)= given greater role in oversight of the committees’ work= recommending the annual budget for SEs and ensuring their resources were adequate to carry out their tasks

Question 17

examples of effective select committees

Answer 17

• Home Affairs Committee= scrutinises gov work in areas like immigration and law enforcement
  = brought attention to 2018 Windrush scandal= Diane Abbott (committee’s chair at the time) led calls for accountability and transparency, as well as an apology from the government for its mishandling of the situation
  = Amber Rudd, Home Secretary, resigned under pressure after the committee’s findings and public backlash
  = government pledged reforms to immigration system and promised to compensate those affected by the wrongful actions, with a compensation scheme later set up for victims
• windrush scandal
  = as a result of May’s strict immigration laws many members of the Windrush Generation were wrongfully detained, denied legal rights, threatened with deportation, or even wrongfully deported due to the lack of documentation

Question 18

adv of SCs

Answer 18

• Independence from Party Politics= 2010 Wrights Reform made select committees elected by backbenchers rather than party leaders
  = elect SC members based on expertise in specific department
  = 2016 Yvette Cooper elected chair of home affairs committee
  = became home sec in 2024 due to high expertise and experience
• gov must respond to findings within 8 weeks
  = direct influence on gov policy= 2014 Home Office took the Passport Office back under ministerial control, following a critical report by Home Affairs SC as they criticised large backlog in applications that had caused public anger during the summer
• Scrutiny of Government Actions= investigate effectiveness of gov departments and hold ministers accountable for decisions= ensures gov is acting in best interest of public and is using public funds appropriately
  = PAC
• Produce high-profile reports on important national and international issues= generate media attention
  = 2018 Windrush report made home sec amber Rudd resign due to failure of strict immigration laws
• Their hearings are televised and reported in the media, which increases their influence. They air issues of public interest. The Transport Select Committee, for example, held Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to account for the controversy over the West Coast Main Line rail franchise in 2012
• Liaison Committee, which consists of the chairs of all the select committees, questions the prime minister twice a year across the whole field of government policy
  = significant forum for questioning the Prime Minister on a wide range of topics, and Johnson’s refusal to appear led to criticism from opposition MPs, who saw it as a lack of accountability and transparency
  = October 2020 Liaison Committee session= questioned gov’s testing strategy, which had faced criticism for delays and inefficiencies= gov had promised an ambitious testing system, but many MPs on committee pointed out gaps in its implementation and the failure to meet targets
  = questioning highlighted weaknesses in gov’s approach and revealed significant public dissatisfaction with the gov’s handling of certain aspects of the crisis
• analysis by the team (Patrick Dunleavy and Dominic Muir) at the Democratic Audit reveals that media mentions of work by committees more than trebled between 2008 and 2012
  = increased broadcast and press coverage was evident almost across the board, with 17 of the 25 committees experiencing growth

Question 19

disadvantage of SCs

Answer 19

• Limited Power to Enforce Recommendations= can make recommendations for policy reforms, but they do not have the power to enforce them
• no guarantee that recommendations will be acted upon by gov= 60% recommendations rejected 2010
  = Ministers can ignore SC suggestions if they conflict with gov priorities
  = Environmental Audit Committee’s 2017 recommendations on tackling plastic waste has been too slow and insufficient
• Members still appointed based on party representation in the HOC= means SCs can still be influenced by priorities of parties= leading to potential bias in investigations and reports= Treasury Committee experiences partisan divides when discussing issues like tax policies or the gov’s economic approach= party lines affect objectivity of debates
• Limited Impact on Policy Without Public Attention= can produce excellent reports w strong recommendations but if findings don’t attract media attention or public support impact may be limited
• Boris Johnson refused to attend 2 Liaison Committee sessions on November 25, 2020
  = arguing that the COVID-19 crisis and other pressing matters required his attention, particularly as the UK was in the middle of managing the pandemic and preparing for the end of the Brexit transition period
• Gov can pick and choose what matches personal priorities
  = Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Universal Credit System (2013-2015)= PAC raised concerns about the Universal Credit (UC) system, highlighting major issues with its implementation, such as delays, cost overruns, and a problematic IT system
  = many of the PAC’s recommendations were not fully implemented= the Universal Credit system faced continuous delays and operational issues, and the government’s responses to the committee’s suggestions were slow
• 2013, Theresa may blocked home affairs select committee from interviewing head of MI5 Andrew Parker

Question 20

HOC powers

Answer 20

• Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs)
• Opposition Day Debates
• Votes of No Confidence
• Private Members’ Bills
• Has a range of select committees that are made up of MPs and focus on specific areas of government activity
• Primary role in passing legislation= bills can be introduced in either HOC or HOL but if the HOL rejects a bill or makes amendments HOC can in most cases, override their objections

Question 21

HOL powers

Answer 21

• Revision of Bills= 2019-20 spent 220 hrs on considering bills
• Amendments and Suggestions
• Power of Delay (Suspensive Veto)
• Scrutiny of Government Policy
• Questions to Ministers
• Has a number of select committees that carry out in-depth investigations into specific issues
• Power to Initiate Legislation= PMBs
• Forum for Debate and Expertise

Question 22

representation in Parliament 2019

Answer 22

• 34% women HOC vs 29% HOL
• 2.62% LGBTQ+ HOC
• average age of 71 in HOL vs 51 HOC
• Lord Smith of Finsbury became UK’s first openly gay MP in 1984= he champions LGBT rights as a member of the House of Lords. In 2013, he spoke passionately in favour of equal marriage during a debate on the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill
• only 7% ethnic minority in HOL vs 10% HOC vs 18% of UK population
• microcosm model= Parl should reflect the people
  = approach led to 101 female labour MPs being elected in 1997
• 1997 Blair made ‘all females shortlists’= only women allowed to take new labour seats

Question 23

examples of Parl scrutiny

Answer 23

• debates
• backbench business committee
• opposition days
• petitions

Question 24

PMQ disadv

Answer 24

• Margaret Thatcher’s share of words spoken during sessions rose from 45% in 1979 to 60% for David Cameron, while the Leader of the Opposition saw an increase from 4.1% to 11.5%= decrease in time allocated to backbench MPs
• under Thatcher, questions from opposition backbench MPs made up 28% of the words spoken, whereas this decreased to 14-16% during Gordon Brown’s tenure

Question 25

successful opposition day example

Answer 25

After Grenfell Tower fire in 2017= Labour Party called for opposition day debate on the gov's response to the fire and the need for urgent action on social housing and fire safety. = debate highlighted gov failures in addressing fire safety concerns of social housing tenants in relation to the use of flammable materials like cladding - While the motion itself did not lead to immediate policy change, the debate kept pressure on the government and contributed to ongoing public demand for accountability and reform. The Labour motion played a role in shaping the political conversation about housing inequality and safety standards

Question 26

describe public bill committees

Answer 26

- Temporary committees set up to examine specific bills at various stages of the legislative process, most notably during the committee stage of a bill - scrutinise details of a bill, questioning gov ministers and officials about the rationale behind particular clauses and assessing whether these proposals are in the public interest=

Question 27

disadv of HOL

Answer 27

- 2017 HOC rejected 2 amendments made by HOL to a bill which enabled the UK to start negotiations to leave the EU - Parl Acts 1911 and 1949 prevent HOL from stopping legislation passing through Parl and from debating a money bill (is a bill that only involves gov spending or tax) - Salisbury Convention means that the HOL unable to oppose policies in the manifesto of the elected gov - 2006 Cash for Peerages scandal= £50,000 per peerage= Lord Levy was arrested under suspicion of attempting to influence labour’s donations in return for peerages - 92 hereditary peers who inherited their title and peerage, such as Lord Strathclyde and the Earl of Sandwich - Over half of members are over 70

Question 28

backbenchers scrutinises gov

Answer 28

- 2010 Wrights Reform gave backbench business committee power to choose topic of debate for 35 days in each parl session = set agenda once a week= often choose topics that have cross party support = feb 2023, BBBC chose topic of NHS healthcare, staff and funding in HOC - members of BBBC elected by their party group within parl which limits chances of rebel MPs being selected - 2010 Wrights Reform made select committees elected by backbenchers rather than party leaders - BBs can rebel against gov bills in order to prevent law being passed = May's bills were rejected 33 times = 2019 defeat of 432:202 when she tried to propose her Brexit withdrawal agreement in parliament - opposition motion led by Labour Party in 2015 was passed w 253:0 = cancelled planned £20/week cut on universal credit - BBs take part in public bill committees which have 16-50 MPs scrutinising leg passing through HOC= can propose amendments to bills = 2023 report on illegal migration bill concluded the bill would deny vast majority of refugees access to UK's asylum system= it prohibits consideration of their protection or HRs claims - BBs can propose bills through PMB by entering ballot @ start of every parl session= 20 MPs randomly chosen to propose bill @ one of 13 Friday sessions = 1967 abortion act and 2018 assault on emergency workers act propose by labour MP Chris Bryant

Question 29

backbench doesn't scrutinise gov

Answer 29

- gov defeats are low in a strong majority gov = in blair's 10 years in office, bill only rejected 4 times, all in his 3rd year in office - speaker has power to decide whether to grant urgent questions - 2000-2010, only 88 non-government amendments were successfully made in Public Bill Committees, despite opposition MPs proposing 17,468 amendments (just 0.5%)

Question 30

HOC scrutiny

Answer 30

- BBs can rebel against gov bills in order to prevent law being passed = May's bills were rejected 33 times = 2019 defeat of 432:202 when she tried to propose her Brexit withdrawal agreement in parliament - opposition motion led by Labour Party in 2015 was passed w 253:0 = cancelled planned £20/week cut on universal credit - urgent Qs allow BBs and opposition to question ministers on issues of public importance or matters of emergency = 2009-2019 Bercow granted 670 urgent questions= over 300 in 2017-19 during Brexit discussion and debate = 2018, Amber Rudd had to answer UQ by Dianna Abbott act deportation targets in home office and handling of windrush scandal= large pressure made Rudd provide false info to parliament, resigned days later as broke ministerial code - MPs can request an emergency debate on matter requiring 'urgent consideration' = May 2020, Sunak was expecting to propose COVID19 furlough scheme but was forced to answer questions by shadow chancellor annalese Dodds

Question 31

HOC lacks scrutiny power

Answer 31

- 10 min rule on urgent Qs - MPs spend less time discussing leg in HOC, instead spend it in constituency = 2006-21, MPs spent just 24% of their time in HOC vs 44% of peers - gov controls parl timetable - PMBs regularly rejected if not in favour of gov - more than 2,500 PMBs introduced between 2010–24, just 110 have received royal assent and only a small proportion are even debated