parliament

Question 1

Legitimisation

Answer 1

the key to democracy is legitimacy. Representative democracy works on the principle that those in power have been given the consent of the electorate to govern. This is usually done by electing representatives to gather in some form of legislature. Therefore, policies that they pursue are legitimate in the sense that they have been accepted by the electorate

Question 2

Representation

Answer 2

to represent the various interests of the electorate. Usually organised on a geographical basis.

Question 3

Legislation

Answer 3

Legislation: create laws and provide legitimacy for those laws. This should include detailed examination of legislation prior to becoming law. - if it has consent

Question 4

Scrutiny/oversight/executive accountability

Answer 4

to hold the executive to account for its actions
executives are ministers - about 100

Question 5

Political Recruitment

Answer 5

attract personnel into politics and prepare them for higher office. Done in conjunction with parties and may be less important in a Presidential system.

Question 6

Deliberation

Answer 6

provide an arena for different viewpoints to be expressed. In theory, debates allow opinions to be influenced and policies to be improved. Also, important form the point of view of the representative function.

Question 7

Redress of grievances

Answer 7

MPs have the opportunity to raise the grievances of individuals or their whole constituency in the public forum of Parliament.

Question 8

house of commons

Answer 8

the lower chamber, and the primary chamber, of the UK legislature. it is directly elected by voters

Question 9

house of lords

Answer 9

the upper chamber of the UK legislature. it is not directly elected by voters

Question 10

legislation

Answer 10

the branch of government responsible for passing laws

Question 11

parliament

Answer 11

an assembly that has the power to debate and make laws. the term can also be used to refer to the period of parliamentary time between general elections

Question 12

back bencher

Answer 12

an mp or member of the house of lords who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Question 13

front benchers

Answer 13

an mp or member of the lords who holds a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Question 14

parliamentary privilege

Answer 14

the legal immunity enjoyed by members of parliament, particularly their right to free speech in parliament

Question 15

confidence and supply

Answer 15

the requirement that the government must be able to command a majority in the houses of commons on votes of confidence and of supply ( the budget ) also used to refer to an agreement between the governing party and a smaller party in which the latter agrees to support the government on key votes in return for policy concessions

Question 16

confidence motion

Answer 16

a motion of confidence in the government. it may be initiated by the government as a threat of dissolution, or used to approve the formulation of a new government under the fixed- term parliament act 2011

Question 17

motion of no confidence

Answer 17

a parliamentary censure motion initiated by the opposition which, if passed, requires the resignation of the government

Question 18

division

Answer 18

a vote in parliament

Question 19

whip

Answer 19

• a party official responsible for ensuring that mps turn up to parliamentary voters and follow party instructions on how to vote
• an instruction to vote that is issued to mps by political parties
• lives in 12 downing street

Question 20

hereditary peer

Answer 20

a member of the houses of lords who, since 1999, has been selected from those who inherited their title

Question 21

life peer

Answer 21

a member of the house of lords who has been appointed to the chamber for their lifetime

Question 22

peer

Answer 22

a member of the house of lords

Question 23

Salisbury doctrine

Answer 23

the convention that the house of lords does not block or try to wreck legislation that was promised in the manifesto of the governing party

Question 24

act of parliament

Answer 24

a law passed by parliament

Question 25

bill

Answer 25

a proposal for a new law, or change to a current law, that has yet to complete the parliamentary legislation process

Question 26

green paper

Answer 26

a government document setting out various options for legislation and inviting comment

Question 27

public bill

Answer 27

a bill concerning a general issue of public policy, introduced by a governing minister

Question 28

white paper

Answer 28

a government document setting out a detailed proposal for legislation

Question 29

committee of the whole house

Answer 29

a meeting held in the chamber in which the full house of commons considers the committee stage of a public bill

Question 30

public bill committee

Answer 30

a committee responsible for the detailed considered of a bill

Question 31

second legislation

Answer 31

a law made by ministers, who have been granted this authority by an act of parliament, rather than made by parliament

Question 32

what is the first stage of holding the government to account

Answer 32

questioning and the government justifying

Question 33

what is the last stage of holding the government to account

Answer 33

removal

Question 34

what is PMQs

Answer 34

prime minister question time 30 mins every Wednesday when parliament is in session the opposition front bench and all back bench MP's including the government MP's can ask questions to the government front bench and prime minister

Question 35

what is the opposition in parliament

Answer 35

the largest party in the house of commons that is not in government

Question 36

what are MQs

Answer 36

once every 3 weeks and take place on monday tuesday and thursday, every government department takes it in turn to take questions about their department government departments include - education, defence, home office(police and immigration) , working pension, chancellor (spending), foreign (country relations and international development), energy and climate change, transport, healthcare, justice secretary (prisons and courts)

Question 37

whats the purpose of debates

Answer 37

- give different viewpoints and perspectives on an issue - hope people will hear the debate and change and reflex on it - be influenced and make policy better - debates provide answerability and justification

Question 38

examples of debates in parliament

Answer 38

legislative debates confiedence debates ministerial debates urgent questions

Question 39

what are opposition days

Answer 39

20 days in a parliamentary session - the opposition choose the debate - focused on what the opposition think is weak around and what they think they are strong about - ie reform on immigration creates executive accountability

Question 40

what are parlimentary petitions

Answer 40

anyone can create one and sign one - 100,000 signatures then goes to a committee of back bench mps and if they think it's merited then it will go to debate as they look through for their legitimacy

Question 41

what are to two types of select commities

Answer 41

department (ie healthcare, education, defence) non department (public accounts committee - examines any government spending , standards committee- investigates dodgy mps , liaison committee- specifically questions the pm )

Question 42

what are select committee

Answer 42

responsible for holding the government work to account through scrutiny the mps on the committee is proportionate to the mps from each party in the commons they then elect a chair they do an investigation and take evidence and summon persons and papers to then make a report

Question 43

what are legislative committies

Answer 43

one committee is made every bill - ad hou (one off) - just set up once and doesn't last - includes interested mps with exterpties and knowledge - all back benchers - 20 to 40 - scrutinise and suggest amendments

Question 44

why are select committies good for accountability

Answer 44

they can bring up any issue and do a lot of questioning to recieve lots of answering and justification as their investigation is backed by lots of evidence (persons and papers) and the committiee is built together with exterts cause questioning and justification

Question 45

what is the weakness of select committees

Answer 45

- would be made up by a majority of the leading party - creating a conflict of interest and bias - the government can reject the formation of select committees - the government only take around 40% of the changes

Question 46

what is a parlimentary rebelion

Answer 46

a division in which mp vote against their party whip

Question 47

how are the chairs of select committees voted for

Answer 47

by the members of the select committee with a secret ballot to remove the influence of the whip

Question 48

who can be called to be in front of select committtees

Answer 48

anyone - persons and papers ministers and government person also professionals who can provide a strong opinion and make the government have a bigger justification