PARLIAMENT

Question 1

Evaluate the view that executive dominance ensures Parliament has little meaningful control over the legislative process. (IS EXEC MORE POWERFUL THAN PARLI - legi) P1

Answer 1

P1: Government majorities and the whips reduce scrutiny
Whip ensures party is ‘unified’ - vote w govy on important issues - 3 line whip - reduces chance of scrutiny from govy party.

Salisbury Convention - (HoL cant block sum in manifesto) and timetabling favour government - oppo only get 20 day per session to bring notions forward

• If have Majority, like Blair 97 (- 88 seat maj) can then pass these bills and other motions and many others with ease ( Blair didnt lose a vote in the HoC for 8 years 97-2005) - Criminal Justice act 2003 -
  More power to prosecutors - reduced right to trial by jury (was later all reformed after being called unlawful)

Question 2

Evaluate the view that executive dominance ensures Parliament has little meaningful control over the legislative process. (IS EXEC MORE POWERFUL THAN PARLI - legi) CP1

Answer 2

CP1: Backbench rebellions Brexit defeats 2017–18
May - losing by 230 votes in 1st draft of agreement
show limits to dominance - led to her resignation, due to lack of preserved ‘competence ‘

Question 3

Evaluate the view that executive dominance ensures Parliament has little meaningful control over the legislative process. (IS EXEC MORE POWERFUL THAN PARLI - legi) P2

Answer 3

P2: Committees and Lords provide some checks

Select Committees (e.g. PAC, HSC) scrutinise policy and govy actions
- Home Affairs Committee on Windrush - rectifying wrongs by aiding those affected, holding govy accountable.

House of Lords amendments influence legislation.
EU Withdraw act 19 - lords made sure parli got an extension on article 50 - showing influence and limit on power of exec.

Question 4

Evaluate the view that executive dominance ensures Parliament has little meaningful control over the legislative process. (IS EXEC MORE POWERFUL THAN PARLI - legi) CP2

Answer 4

Counter: Lords can only delay for up to a period of 2 terms if the bills dont include money;
Commons can ignore committees as they dont have legal jurisdiction - Windrush Scheme - despite this, govy still didn’t put in necessary reforms to compensate.

Question 5

GENERAL REFORM ON HOC PLAN P1

Answer 5

P1: Executive dominance limits scrutiny

FPTP → artificial majorities in parli - doesnt actually display outlook of electorate → reduced accountability
- but allows for exec to be more powerful - Boris (prorogation of parli, Brexit, Covid emergency legi)

Programme motions restrict debate - timetabling and pigeonholing

Question 6

GENERAL REFORM ON HOC PLAN CP1

Answer 6

CP1: Rebellions - from backbenchers and other MP’s- 40 Cons opposed the Criminal Justice bill and Homelessness 24, getting it retracted
urgent questions from PMQ’s and committees - Home Affairs Committee - Windrush offer pushback

Question 7

GENERAL REFORM ON HOC PLAN P2

Answer 7

P2: Lack of diversity and representation

MPs unrepresentative by gender, class, ethnicity

Electoral system produces disproportionality (e.g. 2015 UKIP 1 seat w 12.5% of vote, lid dems got 8 w only 8%)

Question 8

GENERAL REFORM ON HOC PLAN CP2

Answer 8

CP2: Some progress — 35% women in 2019 (highest ever)
Lords is also quite representative - ppl from all diff backgrounds and areas of experience
(counter counter point - unelected body)

Question 9

Evaluate the view that select committees are an effective means of scrutiny in Parliament. P1

Answer 9

P1: High-quality scrutiny and independence

Cross-party membership - reducing bias; evidence-based reports - objective

e.g. PAC, Home Affairs Committee on Windrush

Question 10

Evaluate the view that select committees are an effective means of scrutiny in Parliament. CP1

Answer 10

CP1: Government often ignores recommendation.

• Windrush scheme
  despite this, govy still didn’t put in necessary reforms to compensate - lack of enforcement mechanism.

Question 11

Evaluate the view that select committees are an effective means of scrutiny in Parliament. P2

Answer 11

P2: Impact on government policy and public opinion

Reports influence public debate and shape future legislation - via use of public medias

MP’s on these committees have experience on these policy areas - can challenge govy effectively.
eg: UNIVERSAL CRED INQUIRY - WORK AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE scrutinized policy, leading to reduced wait times for payments and extra support for those who need it most.

Question 12

Evaluate the view that select committees are an effective means of scrutiny in Parliament. CP2

Answer 12

CP2: Impact depends on political will; no enforcement mechanism - seen in HoL econ affairs committee 19:
Calls for reform on social care were ignored and govy gave no formal response, breaking parli convention.