Parliment- scrutiny

Question 1

How does HoC scrutinise executives?

Answer 1

scrutinise the legislative proposal and executive general scrutiny and oversees ideas

Question 2

What are parliamentary questions?

Answer 2

Gov ministers face questions from MPs on the floor of the house
- timetabled in question time

Question 3

How do parliamentary questions worked?

Answer 3

-questions tabled in advanced, ministers answer topical questions on issues in departments
-Speaker Bercow requires ministers to answer urgent questions more frequently

Question 4

What is prime minister question time?

Answer 4

Take place every wednesday for 30 mins
- the leader of the opposition, 3rd largest party and backbenchers question the prime minister
-332 hrs spend on q time in 2015-16 alone

Question 5

What do backbenchers do in question times?

Answer 5

Ask consitituency releted questions
But whips can set up questions that will flatter the government

Question 6

Leader of opposition in question time?

Answer 6

Shapes the agenda
e.g. corbyn tried to allow public qs
berkhow speakers
creates a punch and judy politics

Question 7

Positives of question time?

Answer 7

-high profile
-forces key issues to be addressed
-direct
-opportunity for opposition to get a better debate performance
-keeps p.ms on toes as they are directly held accountables

Question 8

Negatives of question tie?

Answer 8

-uncomposed/intersectional
-misleading/distorts image about how parliament and scrutiny work
-encourage punch and judy politics
-12%of public proud of parliament
-many mps from ruling party’s are told to ask questions that flatter gov/front benchers who want promotion.

Question 9

What are the four types of oppositions?

Answer 9

Official opposition- Labor
Other opposition- Lib dem
Intra party- opponents within governing party
Inter party- periods of coalition e.g. lib dem and conservative gov

Question 10

Purpose of the opposition?

Answer 10

-Offers scrutiny and checks on gov
-Viable and alternative solution
-opposition must portray itself as the gov in waiting

Question 11

How can the opposition challenge the government?

Answer 11

-select committees
-official opponent allowance to ask open qs +5 in pmqs, only official opposition can respond to gov
-20 opposition days set aside each year choosing debate topic
-members of shadow cabinet can ask questions of ministers and propose alternative policy
-inter party rebel/coalition gov

Question 12

What does opposition power depend on?

Answer 12

-a minority party- makes opp more powerful as they can defeat legislative plans

Question 13

Why does a good government need an effective opposition?

Answer 13

-stop dictator
-can influence the pm
-accept legitimacy

Question 14

Example of good opposition and gov?

Answer 14

Covid times by awareness of political backlash if govt wasn’t reacting

Question 15

Leader of opposition powers?

Answer 15

-aditional salary
-right to respind first to the pm on major settelment
-can ask pm in pmqs 6 questions
-appoint shadow cabinet to follow the work of gov departments
-oppose gov legislations

Question 16

Strengths of the opposition?

Answer 16

-official opposition funding and benefits
-position self in alt gov
-opposition can change gov policy (Gurkhas and brexit
-backbenchers rebel in gov prevent problems
-

Question 17

Weaknesses of the opposition?

Answer 17

-govs greater recourses, choice of debate topic
-depends on quality of members in a shadow cabinet and how they debate/preform in media
-successful rebellions on major issues are rare
-opposition successes are rare