UK GOVERNMENT - Parliament

Question 1

How many constituencies are there in each part of the country?

Answer 1

All: 650
England: 533
Scotland: 59
Wales: 40
Northern Ireland: 18
Greater London: 73

Question 2

What are the pros and cons of being a backbencher compared to a front bencher?

Answer 2

+ More independence: backbenchers are not curtailed by collective responsibility so can speak freely against their party.
+ Greater scrutiny of government: backbenchers can take part in committees to scrutinise the actions of the government.
- Less power: as they do not control a part of the government, their ability to affect change is largely curtailed.

Question 3

Define a party whip and give the LabCon chief whips.

Answer 3

Party officials whose role is to maintain party discipline and loyalty through reporting the backbench consesus to the front bench and sanctions and rewards to those who do.
- Lab: Alan Campbell
- Con: Rebecca Harris

Question 4

Who is the current Lord Speaker and what controversy was he caught up in 2024?

Answer 4

Sir Lindsay Hoyle (previously of 2019, Labour) allowed a Labour amendment to an SNP ceasefie bill to take precedence on an SNP opposition day.

Question 5

Define each type of Lord and give the number of them as of August 2024.

Answer 5

Total = 830
- Life Peer (718): prominent members of society appointed by the Prime Minister
- Hereditary Peer (87): people who have inherited a title that allows them to sit in the House of Lords
- Lords Spiritual (24): Archbishops and bishops of the Church of England.

Question 6

What act limited the number of hereditary peers?

Answer 6

The House of Lords Act 1999

Question 7

How is the political makeup of the House of Lords different to the house of Commons and its effect on scrutiny?

Answer 7

No party has an overall majority in the HOL, the Conservatives have a plurality (279) but 246 are crossbenchers, unaffiliated or bishops, making it near impossible. This makes them more effective at scrutiny as they are not curtailed by the majority’s political allegiances.

Question 8

Why is little discussion of reform of the HOL centred on changing its level of power?

Answer 8

More: this may lead to an American-style legislation system that is long-winded and often too difficult, also democracy is also an issue
Less: The more power we take away from it, the more we have to ask why we need it.

Question 9

What are the three main issues with the HOL?

Answer 9

• Democracy: An unelected legislature is undemocratic, further, an unelected house thwarting the will of an elected house lacks democratic leitimacy
• Accountability: members are unelected so are unaccountable
• ‘Cronyism’: Life Peers are elected by the PM so are often given as a reward for loyal MPs, an accusation levelled at BoJo bringing in 36 new peers in quick succession

Question 10

What are the three roles of Parliament?

Answer 10

• Legislatin’
• Representatin’
• Scutinatin’

Question 11

How does the House of Commons provide legitimacy to government legislature?

Answer 11

The people can’t be assembled for every single bill so, by representing their constituencies, MPs indirectly provide the ‘will of the people’ and scrutinise it so that it can be more in line with such.

Question 12

How does the House of Commons legitimise government finance? Give a counter argument.

Answer 12

To avoid difficulties in collecting tax (or worse, an armed revolt such as the one that began the American Revolution), the House of Commons (not a function of the Lords since 1911) votes on the Governments spring and Summer budgets. However, this may just be a rubber stamp as, as the defeat of the budget would require the government to step down, the government has never been defeated.

Question 13

What is one type of legislation that the HOL can’t touch and why?

Answer 13

Any legislation that concerns public finance cannot be delayed by the HOL, as set out in the Parliament Act 1911 after the conservative-led HOL vetoed the Liberal government’s ‘People’s Budget’.

Question 14

When does the HOC approve the government tax expenditure?

Answer 14

Every Spring and Summer, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer announce the annula budget.

Question 15

What are non-government bills proposed by MPs called? Name one successful one.

Answer 15

Private Members’ Bills
Although the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019 (which outlawed the new crime of upskirting) was not passed as Hobhouse’s Private Members’ Bill, it’s reintroduction as a government bill shows how PMBs can pass even when they are denied.

Question 16

Why don’t Private Members’ Bills often pass?

Answer 16

It doesn’t look good for a government to pass bills proposed by members of other parties, they appear to need help/can’t come up with legislation - however, they may support a bill that is largely uncontroversial like the Voyeurism (Offences) Act, or may reintroduce it as their own idea to save face.

Question 17

When are Private Members’ Bills most successful?

Answer 17

The smaller the majority of the government, the greater the likelihood of success of a PMB; 10% success rate for the first year of the coalition, compared to 0% under Blair in 2000

Question 18

What are the Lords’ role in legislation?

Answer 18

The Lords do not provide consent, but rather scrutinise the legislation and recommend changes - this power has diminished since the Lords lost the ability to vote down legislation, but they are still able to delay legislation for a year. They also have a prominent role in scrutinising secondary legislation.

Question 19

Give an example of the Lords successfully changing legislation

Answer 19

The Lords power may be greater closer to an election - given that they have the power to delay legislation for a year, they are able to stop any legislation that is introduced within a year of when an election is likely (convention follows about the 4th year of the current government) - for example, the Rwanda Scheme was delayed by the House of Lords till the Sunak conservative government lost the election.

Question 20

Give two occassions where the House of Lords has delayed legislation for a year and been bypassed.

Answer 20

• Sexual offences Amendment Act (2000): lowered the age of consent for gay men to 16
• Hunting Act (2006): banned fox hunting with packs of dogs.

Question 21

Explain how the Lords scrutinise secondary legislation.

Answer 21

The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee combs through legislation that does not pass through the Houses and presents any causes for concern to the HOC.

Question 22

What was the importance of the House of Lords and Secondary Legislation in 2018?

Answer 22

Theresa May attempted to pass more than 600 Henry VIII clauses concerning Brexit, giving them the power to unstoppably decide Brexit, the return of powers, and the rights of people - even threating to remove the HOLSLSC so the HOL had no say.

Question 23

Why may the importance of the HOLSLSC be declining?

Answer 23

Although the number of SIs increased rapidly between the 90’s and mid-2010’s, seeing an average of 4,200 in the 00’s, they have rapidly dropped since (possibly due to greater scrutiny after May) and are averaging at around 3,000

Question 24

When can MPs criticise the government? Is this effective?

Answer 24

Mainly during Ministers’ Question Time and Prime Minister Question Time, when they can directly ask the government questions to scrutinise their actions.
- No, the government can wave away questions that they do not like with half-answers and the asker has no ability to make further comments unless they are the leader of the opposition

Question 25

What is the most common way for MPs to scrutinise the government?

Answer 25

Through committees (such as the Public Accounts Committee or select committees), MPs can investigate the quality of governance and call them to account.

Question 26

What PM has the largest losing margin the Commons, as well as the most total defeats.

Answer 26

Theresa May - Brexit Vote (2019): 230 margin - 33 defeats in 2 years

Question 27

Why can the threat of voting in the Commons work as scrutiny? Give an example.

Answer 27

The government may not put a bill to vote if they feel they will lose as this may make them look weak and ineffective. This may cause the government to U-turn on policy, for example, Starmer has been threatened with the 'Mother of all rebellions' if he tries to push his austerity-style cuts forward, possibly leading him to weaken the cuts.

Question 28

What is the greatest act of scrutiny MPs can enact? Give an example and a counterargument.

Answer 28

If 2/3 of MPs vote in favour of a motion of no confidence, the government of the day is removed. This last occurred in 1979 with Callaghan's government. - This is incredibly rare, as it requires MPs from one's own party to disavow them and vote for their removal - even May, who the Leeds Uni found was only less popular than 3 other post-war PMs, survived a vote of no confidence with 19 votes even with a 317 seat minority

Question 29

How is scrutiny of government difficult for the House of Lords?

Answer 29

Almost all Government ministers sit in the House of Commons so there is no means of scrutiny, aside frim asking questions to junior ministers.

Question 30

How is the HOL advantageuos in scrutiny of legislation?

Answer 30

Many peers are experts in their field so can provide detailed and nuanced critiques of acts, especially during the committee stage - for example, Lord Dannatt was formerly the Chief of General Staff (the highest ranking soldier in the UK) so is able to provide knowledgeable input on government policies, like arguing to redeploy troops in Iraq in 2016 to fight ISIS.

Question 31

What does an MP have to represent?

Answer 31

- Constituency - Party - National interest - Causal groups - Personal interest

Question 32

What 5 ways can MPs represent their constituency?

Answer 32

- Lobbying a minister and their department - Raising a matter on the floor of the House - Redress of grievances - Joining local campaigns - Surgeries

Question 33

Give 2 examples of times MPs have represented their constituency and gone against their government.

Answer 33

- Adrian Ramsey, co-leader of the *Green Party*, said he would vote against wind turbines being constructed in his constituency due to the displeasure of his constituents - Zac Goldsmith resigned his seat in 2016 to protest the expansion of Heathrow airport, due to concerns about noise pollution and environmental impact.

Question 34

Give a time when an MP has failed to adequate represent their constituents.

Answer 34

Nicki Morgan voted against gay marriage in 2016 as she believed her constituents were against it, they were not - this evidences the failure of sampling for representatives who wish to work based on delegate model of representation, Morgan reported '10-1 requests' asking her to oppose it; without proper research, the loudest voices (the most radical) will always be the ones represented.

Question 35

Explain MP Johnny Mercer's representation of veterans in 2020.

Answer 35

Johnny Mercer was a consistent advocate for veteran's rights, such as mental health support and fair treatment; resigned seat as Minister of Veteran's affairs in 2020, the government's failure to support veterans.

Question 36

Explain MP Caroline Nokes' representation of women in 2015

Answer 36

Caroline Nokes has headed the Women and Equalities committee since 2015, fighting against discrimination and domestic violence.

Question 37

Why is the HOL more well-suited to representation of groups than the HOC?

Answer 37

- There is no overall party majority so a wider range of beliefs can be represented, John Bird, a homelessness campaigner, joined in 2015. - Lords do not have to worry about being re-elected so can represent groups that span the country, rather than just their constituents

Question 38

Give evidence of relative representativeness in the Commons.

Answer 38

- 90 (13.85%) MPs are from ethnic minorities - 263 (40.46%) are women

Question 39

Give evidence that the House of Commons is getting younger.

Answer 39

Mharia Black, elected in 2015 for the SNP, was the youngest MP in history at only 20

Question 40

Demonstarte social unrepresentativeness in the Lords.

Answer 40

- Average age is 71 - only 236 (29.28%) are women - 42% were educated at Oxbridge and 62% went to independent schools.

Question 41

Why may the Commons be more representative that the Lords?

Answer 41

People may be more likely to elect representatives who are similar to them. Lords are also come in three types: lords spiritual (high ranking bishops - white people may be more likely to join the Church); hereditary peers (old white families); and life peers (white people and men are more likely to go onto higher education and become experts in their fields when they are older).

Question 42

Why is the social unrepresentativeness of the HOL a problem? Why isn't it?

Answer 42

The HOL is socially comprised of individuals who are more likely to be conservative or right-leaning; although they are not party affiliated, this may affect their worldview and how they vote, such as delaying the lowering of age of consent for gay men for as long as possible. Even if this is not true, the idea of bias is harmful to legislation. - The Lords exists to represent expertise, rather than social perspectives - they are employed based on their knowledge of fields like the military (Lord Dannatt) or homelessness (Lord Bird), their social categories should play no part.

Question 43

What three acts/conventions limit the power of the Lords over the Commons?

Answer 43

- The Parliament Act 1911: Removed The Lords ability to veto and only allowed them to delay bills for two years, also removed Lords power over any 'money bills' - The Parliament Act 1949: reduced two years to one - The Salisbury Convention: Any policy that was in a government of the day's manifesto cannot be amended or delayed

Question 44

Why can't the Lords have any say on taxation levels?

Answer 44

The Lords are not accountable to taxpayers, being unelected, so cannot have any say on the level of taxation, a liberal democratic principle of democracy.

Question 45

Explain 'Confidence and Supply’

Answer 45

Confidence is given by the Government, it refers to the faith of the Commons in the government to operate effectively; supply is given by the Commons, it refers to the willingness of the Commons to authorise the taxation and borrowing that allow the Government to operate. This agreement usually takes the form of the government have a majority in the Commons; however, it can also take the form of a coalition (2010 - Conservatives and LibDems) or a minority government with the support of another party without a formal coalition (2017 Conservatives with the DUP, pledging an additional £1bn to Stormont).

Question 46

What does the House of Lords lack that remove their power to hold the government to account?

Answer 46

As the have no ability to provide 'supply' (such as in voting for the Budget or taxes, the loss of which would automatically trigger a general election), they have no leverage over the government to scrutinise them effectively.

Question 47

How has the 1999 House of Lords Act given the HOL more power? How have recent events added to this?

Answer 47

The removal of all but 92 hereditary peers removed any party majority giving them more ability to scrutinise government; further, the larger proportion of life peers increased their prestige. Adding to this, Starmer pledged to break the Cranborne Compromise and remove the final 88 hereditary peers, further increasing their power.

Question 48

What has made the House of lords more powerful in recent years?

Answer 48

The string of coalition or minority governments has increased the influence of the House of Lords recommendations, as well as all the governments that lacked an electoral mandate to use the Salisbury Convention.

Question 49

What powers does the Commons have that The Lords does not?

Answer 49

- Examination and approval of financial measures - Vetoing legislation - Votes of no confidence - Select committees - Final approvements of amendments

Question 50

What powers does the Commons have that the Lords does no?

Answer 50

- Voting on financial measures - Veto of legislation - Votes of no confidence - Committee scrutiny

Question 51

What powers does the Lords have that the Commons does not?

Answer 51

- Examining secondary legislation - Delaying bills

Question 52

What powers do both Houses of Parliament share?

Answer 52

- Debating and voting on legislation - Proposing legislation and amendments - Calling governments and ministers to account - Debating key issues of the day

Question 53

Explain the three kinds of bills.

Answer 53

Private Bills: bills introduced by non-government groups or individuals Private Members' Bills: bills proposed by non-government MPs Public Bills: bills introduced by the Government

Question 54

What are the five stages of the legislative process in each house?

Answer 54

First Reading: The bill is introduced to the house Second Reading: Details of the bill are given and debated Committee stage: Public Bill Committees debate and possibly amend each clause of the bill Report stage: amendements are reported and new one's proposed in the house and voted on Third Reading: final version is presented, debated, and voted on.

Question 55

Why has the Salisbury Convention become less important recently?

Answer 55

The long string of conservative governements with no electoral mandate meant the Salisbury Convention did not apply.

Question 56

What is Parliamentary Privelige?

Answer 56

The right of members of Parliament to make certain statements within Westminister and not be subject to the law.

Question 57

What is the importance of Parliamentary Privelige for scrutiny? Give an example.

Answer 57

Members can feel secure in criticising the government and other state agencies and not be arrested - In the 80s, Geoffrey Dickens MP handed a dossier of alleged paedophiles within Westminster to then-Home Secretary Leon Brittan.

Question 58

Give an example of Parliamentary Privelige in action.

Answer 58

2022: MP Layla Moran names 35 Russian Oligarchs close to Putin to be sanctioned, an act that could have gotten her sued outside the chamber.

Question 59

What is the issue with Parliamentary Privelige? Give an example.

Answer 59

It can negate Rule of Law; when Lord Peter Hain broke an injunction by Sir Phillip Green over allegations of sexual assault in 2018 and nothing was done about it, the Lord Chief Justice called it 'a straightforward attack on Rule of Law.' It also may provide to much freedom for MPs who don't always use it with the best intentions; in 2025, PM Starmer has continually used his privelige to mock Liz Truss, saying she 'crashed the economy'

Question 60

What is the importance of MPs in representation?

Answer 60

MPs represent small constituencies that have very local needs; without them, many issues would go unresolved, causing greater tension in society and loss of faith in democracy - Zac Goldsmith resigning in protest of the expansion of Heathrow airport, Adrian Ramsey - MPs don't always represent their constituencies effectiely - Nicki Morgan - MPs need to represent the country as well - Adrian Ramsey

Question 61

What is the importance of MPs in terms of committees

Answer 61

MPs do lots of important scrutiny in committees, largely going unrecognised but continually holding the government to account for its actions - 2015 Public Account Committee investigation into the effectiveness of cancer care by the NHS: Home Affairs Committee and Windrush Scandal - Committees lack teeth to properly scrutinitse the government - BoJo skipped 3 of 6 meetings with the Liason Committee - Comittees lack expertise - reliance on foreign reports slowed down scrutiny of trident missile system by the national defence comittee

Question 62

What is the importance of MPs in voting for legislation

Answer 62

MPs are incredibly important for voting on legisaltion, legitimising it and holding power in their votes (and even the possibility of voting against the government) - Starmer faced with 'mother of all rebellions' over austerity measures, May 230 losing margin - Most governments have a large majority so can afford to lose votes or ignore MPs- Johnson's 21; Iraq

Question 63

What three things is Mhairi Black, previous SNP MP, known for?

Answer 63

- Youngest MP elected in history (20) - Quickly became a member of the Work and Pensions Committee, specialising in welfare and inequality - Prominent LGBT+ rights spokesperson

Question 64

What three things was Yvette Cooper, Labour MP, known for?

Answer 64

- Chose to return to the backbenches in 2015 having even been a cabinet minister before 2010, back on the front again - Became chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, responsible for the resignation of Amber Rudd post-Windrush Scandal - Introduced a Private Members' Bill to block a no deal Brexit that narrowly passed.

Question 65

What are two things Lord Dannat is known for?

Answer 65

- Previously was the Chief of General Staff, the highest ranking soldier in the UK - 2015: Campaigned for UK ground troops to be redeployed in Iraq

Question 66

What are two things Baroness Floella Benjamin is known for?

Answer 66

- Raises awareness of issues relating to education, children, healthcare, immigration - 2013: marked international women's day with a speech about the harmful effects of violent porn on children and women

Question 67

What is the role of the Public Accounts Committee?

Answer 67

To moniter government spending and collection, investigating and calling the government to account.

Question 68

What are the reasons the Public Accounts Committee are so powerful?

Answer 68

- The chair is alway a member of the Opposition (currently Geoffrey Clinton-Brown) - Members are elected by MPs and not controlled by ministers - Its reports are often unanimous so stands above party politics - Has a high media profile so betters scrutiny

Question 69

Explain the 2015 Public Account Committee investigation into the effectiveness of cancer care by the NHS.

Answer 69

It was found that there was great variation in treatment depending on age and region, paired with low cure rates and increased wait times. - The government launched a task force to improve the delivery of cancer treatment.

Question 70

How isn't the Public Accounts Committee effective?

Answer 70

Like other committees, the PAC has no enforcement power and can only put pressure on the government - PAC couldn’t challenge the policy decision to create NHS Test and Trace, even though it found the system cost over £37 billion and delivered limited benefits.

Question 71

What is the purpose of departmental select committees?

Answer 71

To investigate and scrutinise the work of specific government depatments.

Question 72

What were the successes of the 2018 Home Affairs Committee's investigation into the Windrush Scandal?

Answer 72

The standing Home Secretary Amber Rudd was forced to resign due to her attempt to feign ignorance; additionally, the Windrush Scandal Compensation Scheme provided over £90mn to more than 2,500 claimants

Question 73

What are the issues with Departmental Select Committees?

Answer 73

They aren't experts - the Defence Committees reliance on foreign reports to properly assess complex military procurement procedure slowed down oversight on trident renewal Governments can wait out the public outcry and do no further action - PACAC condemnations of lack of transparency during COVID, especially wth PPE contacts, resulted in no reform.

Question 74

What is the role of the Liason Committee and who are its members? Why is it ineffective?

Answer 74

The LC directly calls the Prime Minister to account twice a year, it is comprised of the chairs of all DSCs. - They have no power to force a PM to show up, Boris Johnson skipped out on 3 of 6 meetings.

Question 75

What is the role of the Backbench Business Comittee?

Answer 75

Set up by the 2010 Wright Reforms, it determines what should be debated on the one day of the week allocated to backbench business.

Question 76

What is the most celebrated example of the work of the Backbench Business Committee?

Answer 76

After an e-petition received 100,000 signatures to release all documents relating to the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster, the BBBC hosted a debate that resulted in multiple inquiries and th release of previously secret papers.

Question 77

What makes committees so powerful?

Answer 77

They are usually made up of independent-minded MPs, being elected by other MPs rather than controlled by parties and thus are allowed a level of scrutiny that would not otherwise be possible.

Question 78

What gives the Opposition power over the executive?

Answer 78

- The Leader of the Oppostion has priority at PMQTs (up to 6) - They recieve 20 Opposition days to decide the topic of debate - They have an extremely large media platform to use for scrutiny

Question 79

What MP had the lowest vote share in 2024?

Answer 79

Labour MP Terry Jermy for South West Norfolk only had 26.7% of the vote.

Question 80

How many times was Blair beaten and what was the first?

Answer 80

4 time total; his first in 2005 on extending detention of terrorist suspects

Question 81

How many defeats did the Lords inflict in the 2017-2019 session?

Answer 81

69

Question 82

How many amendments did the Lords make in the 2013-2014 session?

Answer 82

1,686

Question 83

How many Urgent Questions did Speaker Jon Bercow allow in the 2017-19 session?

Answer 83

307

Question 84

Give an example of toxic behaviour in Parliament

Answer 84

In 2015, Cameron called Milliband "Alex Salmond's Poodle", to which the Conservative MPs responded with barking.