Parliament - evidence Flashcards
(74 cards)
1
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons are women?
A
41%
2
Q
What percentage of peers in the House of Lords are women?
A
28%
3
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons are from a BAME background?
A
14%
4
Q
What percentage of peers in the House of Lords are from a BAME background?
A
6%
5
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons are LGBTQ*?
A
11%
6
Q
What percentage of the general population in the UK identifies as LGBTQ* (2021 census)
A
3.2% of the general population in the UK identified as LGBTQ* in the 2021 census, although the actual number may be higher due to the voluntary nature of the question.
7
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons are aged under 30?
A
2%
8
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons are aged over 50?
A
52%
9
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons went to Oxford or Cambridge?
A
23%
10
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons were privately educated?
A
23%
11
Q
What percentage of Conservative MPs were privately educated?
A
46%
12
Q
What percentage of Labour MPs were privately educated?
A
15%
13
Q
What percentage of MPs in the House of Commons have a degree?
A
85%
14
Q
What percentage of the general population in England has a Level 4 qualification?
A
33% of the population in England have a Level 4 qualification, according to official statistics from 2021.
15
Q
How many MPs are there in the House of Commons?
A
650
16
Q
Who is the youngest MP in the House of Commons?
A
Sam Carling from the Labour Party, aged 23
17
Q
What is the average age of an MP in the House of Commons?
A
48
18
Q
What is the average age of a peer in the House of Lords?
A
71
19
Q
How many female MPs were elected in 2024?
A
In 2024, 263 (40%) of MPs elected were women
20
Q
How can the House of Commons resolve disagreements with the House of Lords regarding legislation?
A
The House of Commons can use Parliament Acts to push legislation past the House of Lords. This allows the House of Commons to override the House of Lords if they reject a bill.
21
Q
How many times did Tony Blair use the Parliament Acts during his premiership?
A
Tony Blair used the Parliament Acts three times during his premiership, with the most recent being to pass the Hunting Act 2004, which banned hunting with dogs.
22
Q
What happened with the Safety of Rwanda Bill in 2024?
A
The Safety of Rwanda Bill went through the process of parliamentary ping-pong in 2024, where it was sent back and forth between the House of Commons and House of Lords, with the House of Lords rejecting some issues and the House of Commons insisting on their stance.
23
Q
What happens if MPs ignore a three-line whip?
A
If MPs ignore a three-line whip, they can be removed from their parliamentary party as a sanction. For example, Boris Johnson expelled 21 Conservative MPs who opposed his EU withdrawal Bill in 2019.
24
Q
Can MPs rebel against the party whip?
A
Yes, MPs can rebel against the party whip and may even resign from the party. For example, Zac Goldsmith resigned as a Conservative MP in 2016 over the issue of a third runway for Heathrow, and Greg Hands resigned in 2018. Similarly, during the Brexit debates, several MPs resigned from both the Labour and Conservative parties.
25
What is an example of a free vote in the UK Parliament?
A free vote occurs when MPs are allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs rather than party policy. Examples include votes on the smoking ban, the Assisted Dying Bill 2024, and the Marriage (Same-sex Couples) Act 2013.
26
What were some whip scandals involving MPs?
Two notable whip scandals include Chris Pincher (Deputy Chief Whip) for sexual misconduct and Gavin Williamson (Chief Whip) for bullying, both of which were significant issues during Boris Johnson’s tenure.
27
How successful are Private Members’ Bills (PMBs) compared to government bills?
From 2016-17, only 8 out of 163 PMBs passed compared to 25 out of 28 government bills that received royal assent, showing the low success rate of PMBs.
28
How much parliamentary time is spent on discussing PMBs compared to government bills?
Discussions on government bills take up over one-third of parliamentary time, while PMBs take up less than 5% of parliamentary time.
29
Can PMBs pass if they are introduced by backbenchers?
PMBs introduced by backbenchers are more likely to pass if they come from the ruling party. For example, during the coalition government, 41 out of 42 PMBs that passed were from either the Conservatives or Lib Dems.
30
What is an example of a successful Private Members' Bill?
- Wendy Chamberlain’s Carer’s Leave Act (2023), which provides employment rights for those with unpaid caring responsibilities.
- Wera Hobhouse’s Worker Protection Act (2023), aimed at preventing sexual harassment in the workplace, though it was substantially watered down by the House of Lords.
31
What is an example of a PMB that passed despite the government not supporting it?
The 1967 Abortion Act was introduced by David Steel, a Liberal MP, during a time when there was no majority government. It passed due to government support for the measure
32
What was the Assisted Dying Bill 2024 and what was unique about the vote?
The Assisted Dying Bill 2024 was a free vote where some SNP members abstained from voting because it only affected England and Wales (healthcare being a devolved power). This situation highlighted the West Lothian Question.
33
What was the Hunting Act 2004, and how did it pass despite opposition from the House of Lords?
The Hunting Act 2004 banned hunting with dogs. It was passed using the Parliament Acts after the House of Lords rejected it, marking an example of the House of Commons using its power to override the Lords.
34
What role did the 1922 Committee play in the 2022 leadership contest?
The 1922 Committee (made up of backbenchers), led by Graham Brady, was responsible for triggering a leadership contest in 2022 after 55 MPs submitted letters calling for a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Liz Truss. Just the scheduled meeting with the committee led to her resignation.
35
What was the significance of the Maastricht Treaty vote in 1993?
In July 1993, John Major's government passed the Maastricht Treaty (founding treaty of the EU) by just one vote, after a significant backbench revolt by Conservative MPs.
36
What was the Covid Recovery Group and what was their stance in January 2021?
The Covid Recovery Group wrote a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in January 2021, stating that his "leadership would be on the table" if he did not publish an exit strategy for lockdowns.
37
What backbench resistance occurred in July 2021 regarding foreign aid?
In July 2021, backbench MPs resisted a proposed cut to the UK's foreign aid budget. The government had planned to reduce foreign aid spending from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI due to the COVID-19 economic impact.
38
How did backbench MPs influence the Rwanda Bill in January 2024?
In January 2024, 30 backbench MPs rebelled against Rishi Sunak’s government over the Rwanda Bill, which proposed sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.
39
How did Frank Field contribute to the Work and Pensions Committee?
Frank Field was elected head of the Work and Pensions Committee in 2015 and 2017, using his extensive experience in welfare and poverty issues to push the government for accountability
40
How can the turnover of members in committees affect their effectiveness?
High turnover of committee members can damage its effectiveness. For example, the Defence Committee saw an 83% turnover between 2010-2015, leading to a lack of continuity and potential loss of expertise
41
What controversy arose from the Exiting the EU Committee in 2018?
The Exiting the EU Committee, chaired by Hilary Benn, faced criticism from Conservative members for being too pro-Remain, as only 7 out of 21 members voted for Leave.
42
What was the result of the Windrush Scandal inquiry in 2018?
During the inquiry into the Windrush Scandal, Amber Rudd denied that the Home Office had deportation targets. However, leaked emails later revealed that she was aware of them, leading to her resignation.
43
What was the impact of the 2015 PAC report on cancer care?
The PAC report criticized variations in cancer treatment across the UK and the NHS's low cure rates and waiting times. The publicity from the report led to a government review and the creation of an Independent Cancer Taskforce.
44
What did Sir Gerald Kaufman say about PMQs?
Sir Gerald Kaufman described PMQs as an “exchange of pointless and useless declamations,” indicating that it had become more about spectacle than substance.
45
What change did Tony Blair make to PMQs?
Tony Blair increased PMQs from two 15-minute sessions to a single 30-minute session on Wednesdays at noon, starting in 2003.
46
How did Rachel Reeves criticize Jeremy Hunt in 2023 during PMQs?
Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chancellor, criticized Jeremy Hunt for raising taxes in his Autumn Statement and said working people were still worse off despite the tax thresholds being frozen.
47
What scandal involving David Cameron and PMQs was revealed?
It was revealed that David Cameron's aides had been planting questions for backbench MPs to ask during PMQs, undermining the credibility of the process.
48
What happened with Theresa May's government in January 2019?
Theresa May’s government faced a vote of no confidence after suffering the largest ever defeat in the House of Commons over her Brexit deal. She survived by a majority of 19 votes.
49
What was the outcome of the June 2022 no confidence vote against Boris Johnson?
In June 2022, Boris Johnson survived a no confidence vote with 211 Conservative MPs supporting him (58.8%), while 148 MPs voted against him (41.2%).
50
What was the consequence of the 1979 no confidence vote?
In 1979, James Callaghan lost the vote of no confidence, which triggered a general election.
51
What happened with Michael Fallon in 2017?
In 2017, Michael Fallon resigned as Defence Secretary after his behaviour towards women was deemed inappropriate, acknowledging that his actions had “fallen short.”
52
What was the scandal involving Neil Parrish MP in 2022?
In June 2022, Neil Parrish MP was found to have been watching "tractor porn" in the House of Commons, leading to his resignation.
53
What happened with Chris Pincher in 2022?
In 2022, Chris Pincher, Deputy Chief Whip, resigned after being accused of groping two men while drunk. He had the Conservative whip removed.
54
What was the 2009 MP Expenses Scandal?
The 2009 MP Expenses Scandal led to widespread backlash, with several MPs resigning, some being imprisoned, and others retiring from politics due to misuse of taxpayer funds
55
What was the outcome of the 2017 Labour Party antisemitism controversy?
The 2017 Labour Party antisemitism controversy involved several MPs being suspended or resigning due to antisemitic remarks. Jeremy Corbyn was suspended in 2019 for mishandling the issue, though he was later readmitted to the party as an independent MP.
56
What role does Lord Dannatt play in the House of Lords?
Lord Dannatt, a crossbench peer and former chief of the UK Army, contributed his military expertise to House of Lords debates, such as campaigning for UK ground troops in Iraq against ISIS.
57
How many defeats did the government suffer in the House of Lords under Theresa May (2017-2019)?
Under Theresa May, the government was defeated 69 times in the House of Lords, showing the role of the Lords in scrutiny and opposition.
58
What did the Immigration Act 2014 undergo in the House of Lords?
The Immigration Act 2014 went through 11 committee sittings in the House of Lords, receiving 66 pieces of written evidence to scrutinize its contents.
59
What was the focus of the Justice Select Committee and who chaired it?
Chaired by Robert Neill (Conservative), with members like Maria Eagle (Labour) and Kenny MacAskill (SNP), the committee scrutinized the Ministry of Justice’s lenient sentencing reforms, aimed at relieving overcrowded prisons
60
What ethical concerns were raised in the Assisted Dying Bill Committee (2024–2025)?
Sponsored by Kim Leadbeater (Labour), the bill faced intense ethical scrutiny.
Status: Report stage.
Key Amendment: Healthcare professionals cannot participate in assisted dying.
61
What change did the Elections Bill Committee propose in 2021–2022, and was it successful?
The committee, involving Chloe Smith (Conservative), proposed changing local mayoral voting from SV (Supplementary Vote) to FPTP (First Past the Post).
Result: Passed as part of the Elections Act 2022.
62
What was the goal of the Business and Trade Select Committee in 2024?
Chaired by Liam Byrne (Labour), the committee reviewed Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds’ G7 growth strategy, with emphasis on supporting SMEs.
63
What is notable about the Down Syndrome Act 2022?
Introduced by Liam Fox (Conservative backbencher), it’s a rare example of a Private Member’s Bill that gained cross-party support and became law.
64
What does the Assisted Dying Bill 2025 propose?
Introduced by Kim Leadbeater (Labour), it would legalise medically assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales.
Status: In the report stage of the House of Commons.
65
What is the purpose of the Hereditary Peers Bill 2024?
It seeks to remove the 92 remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords to modernise the upper chamber.
Status: In the report stage of the House of Lords.
66
What does the Minimum Service Levels Act 2023 entail and what is Labour’s position on it?
Mandates minimum service levels during strikes in key sectors like health and transport.
Labour's plan: Repeal it under the Employment Rights Bill.
67
What powers did the Special Measures Act 2025 grant the government?
It gave emergency powers to intervene in British Steel, preventing the industry's collapse.
68
What is the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and what did it trigger?
The Act introduced detention and removal for unlawful arrivals in the UK.
Consequence: Sparked multiple legal challenges.
69
What did the Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 introduce?
Passed on 30 January 2025, it created new powers and offences to tighten border security and reform the asylum system
70
What legislative effort was Kim Leadbeater involved in?
She sponsored the Assisted Dying Bill (2025). Starmer described it as very important legislation.
71
What was Ian Byrne known for in recent parliamentary sessions?
Fiercely opposed disability benefit cuts
Suspended from Labour for rebelling over the two-child benefit cap
Quote: He would “swim through vomit to vote against” the cuts.
72
Why was Zarah Sultana suspended from the Labour Party?
She voted with an SNP amendment to end the two-child benefit cap. Though the suspension was said to last 6 months, she remains suspended as of May 2025.
Also received the most death threats in October 2024 due to her anti-arms-to-Israel stance.
73
How did Lee Anderson shift from the Conservatives to Reform?
Resigned as Conservative Deputy Chair to vote for a Rwanda deportation amendment
Had the whip suspended for comments about “Islamists controlling London”
Joined Reform UK in March 2024
Suspended a Reform MP in March 2025 over bullying allegations
74
What are the current gender and ethnic representation stats in Parliament (2024)?
Women: 40% of the Commons, 29% of the Lords (vs. 51% in the population)
Ethnic minorities (BME): 13% in the Commons, 7.3% in the Lords (vs. 16% in the population)
Trend: Both figures show a notable increase since 2019.
