UK parliament Flashcards
(21 cards)
What did the Parliament Acts of 1911 allow?
HoC to pass bills without Lords approval if passed in successive sessions
Also removed the veto on money bills and non-money bills, and cut down maximum life of parliament from 7 to 5 years.
What change did the Parliament Act of 1949 introduce?
HoC only had to pass a bill in two successive sessions for it to pass without HoL consent
Non-money bills could only be delayed up to one year.
What was a justification for the Parliament Acts?
Elected officials should hold primary legislative authority
Unelected part of parliament should have limited powers.
What was the outcome of the Hunting Act of 2004?
HoC passed a bill banning fox hunting despite Lords’ objections
Commons forced the bill through.
What were the allegations made by William Wragg in 2022?
Accused the government of trying to blackmail conservative MPs
This was in relation to a confidence vote against Johnson.
What is the Salisbury Convention?
Lords should not oppose bills intended to deliver on the governing party’s manifesto
Established in 1945.
What happened during the Public Order Act process in 2020?
Commons faced a long period of ‘ping-pong’ with 14 defeats on government
Ultimately, the suspicion-less clause was removed.
What did the Miller I case in 2017 determine?
Government cannot trigger Article 50 without Parliament’s consent
The ruling established that Parliament is sovereign.
What was significant about the ‘meaningful votes’ on Theresa May’s Brexit deal in 2019?
May’s deal was rejected multiple times, leading to political deadlock
Demonstrated the extent of division within Parliament.
What did the Benn Act of 2019 require?
PM to request an extension to the Brexit deadline if Parliament did not approve a deal
This was crucial for checks over the executive.
What was the outcome of the prorogation controversy in 2019?
Court ruled that Johnson’s prorogation was unlawful
This dealt a severe blow to Johnson’s authority.
What did Boris Johnson seek in 2019 to break the deadlock?
An early general election under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act
He failed to secure the necessary majority on two occasions.
What was the purpose of the Letwin amendment in 2019?
Withheld parliamentary approval of Johnson’s revised Brexit deal until all legislation was passed
Forced the PM to request an extension to the Brexit deadline.
What role did the Home Affairs Committee play in the Windrush scandal?
Exposed systematic failures in the government’s handling of the scandal
This led to Amber Rudd’s resignation and compensation for victims.
underscores the select Committee’s ccapacity to hold ministers accountable, influence public discourse and drive systematic change
What did the Public Accounts Committee do regarding HS2 oversight in 2020?
Ensured transparency regarding the project’s financial viability and governance
Recommended stricter budget controls and project monitoring.
Demonstrated how select committees can improve governance in large-scale infrastructure projects
What did the Health and Social Care Committee evaluate in 2021?
The government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis
Highlighted critical failings and acknowledged successes like rapid vaccine rollout.
Instrumental in shaping public and parliamentary understanding of the crisis, emphasising its value in fostering accountability and policy improvement
What limitations did the Intelligence and Security Committee face regarding Russian interference in 2020?
Faced delays in publication and lacked access to critical information
Many recommendations were not implemented
Select committees can be constrained by limited authority and gov non-cooperation, reducing their effectiveness
What issues did the Work and Pensions Committee identify with Universal Credit?
Flaws such as delayed payments and increased poverty for vulnerable claimants
Despite many reports, significant problems still exist.
Whilst select committees are dept at diagnosing problems can struggle to drive meaningful change when their findings are not prioritised by gov.
What does Standing Order 14 state about government business?
Government business shall have precedence over every sitting
This emphasizes the control the government has over Parliament.
What was the purpose of secondary legislation during COVID?
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