parliament examples (done)

• Parl effectively passes legislation

  • Bills almost always passed effectively 
  • EG. 2022/23 gov introduced 56 bills, 76% received royal assent by the end of the parliamentary session - key legislation such as Illegal Migration Act and Online Safety Act
  • In emergencies Parliament is able to push through legislation in a shorter amount of time 
  • EG. 2020 COVID Act - gave gov wide ranging powers to tackle pandemic, including powers that significantly limited individual rights - in just 6 days 
  • PMBs also passed with support of governing party
  • EG. Protection from Sex-based harassment in Public act 2023 due to PMB after receiving support from government and opposition 
• Parl effectively passes legislation (2)

  • HOL amendments ensure laws are technical and workale
  • EG. Can delay for only year so not limitation, HOC can still override this 
  • EG. Levelling up and regeneration Act 2023, gov accepted 64 HOL amendments, technical amendments that improved wording of the bill so that it would function better 
• Parl does not effectively pass legislation

  • Majority of PMBs not passed, especially without government support 
  • EG. 2022/23 Parl session, only 8% of PMBs received royal assent 
  • Legislation rushed through Parliament can result in lack of scrutiny and poorly drafted unworkable laws
  • EG. Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 passed in response to repeated tabloid stories about dog attacks, aimed to prohibit certain breeds of dogs rather than irresponsible owners. RSPCA found that of 30 dog attack related deaths during this period, 21 of these involved breeds were not specified in the act 
  • Increasingly common for legislation to be rushed through HOC by gov 
  • EG. Passenger Railway Services Act revived just one day of scrutiny in committee stage in HOC and skipped report stage as no amendments were accepted to the bill, therefore little scrutiny despite it being a highly significant bill 
• Parl does not effectively pass legislation (2)

  • Important legislation can be delayed in many ways: HOL can delay for a year, rebellions in HOC can be disruptive especially when there is small/no majority 
  • EG. Both May and BJ failed to pass their Brexit withdrawal Agreement a number of times in 2019 when Cons governments relied on confidence and supply agreements with DUP 
• Parl scrutiny effective - select committees

  • Look in depth into issues, questioning is calm and professional and political answers aren’t accepted, scrutiny less partisan than PMQs. 
  • Gov response in 8 weeks, direct influence on policy, ensuring gov departments perform effectively 
  • EG. 2023 government party accepted all of the Foreign Affairs SC recommendations, updated strategy was needed, implemented recommendations: Director of Resilience in cabinet office to focus on making UK less dependant on other international actors     
  • SC work is well respected - evidence based, hold televised hearings which increases their independence, air issues of public interest, reported on media 
  • EG. In March 2023, for example, the Privileges SC scrutinised former BJ over his involvement in the ‘Partygate’ scandal, which garnered a lot of public interest and media attention
  • Liaison committee directly questions and scrutinises PM twice a year 
• Parl scrutiny effective - select committees (2)

  • Since Wright Reforms, more independent, now elected by fellow MPs which has increased their independence - this has allowed prominent backbench MPs who openly oppose government on some issues to obtain key roles in Select Committees therefore effective scrutiny 
  • EG. Lab backbencher is Chair of the Foreign Affairs SC, criticised the government’s approach to China, urging stronger action on human rights abuses, including the treatment of Uyghur Muslims. 
  • She has also called for a more assertive stance on Russian sanctions, arguing that loopholes still allow oligarchs to shield assets in the UK.
• Parl scrutiny ineffective - select committees

  • Doesn’t always accept
  • EG. Gov accepts only about 40% of SC recommendations, these are usually only minor changes 
  • SC power to summon witnesses is considerable but limited 
  • EG. 2013, as Home Secretary, Theresa May blocked the Home Affairs Select Committee from interviewing Andrew Parker, the head of MI5
  • Gov accepts about 40% of SC recommendations, usually minor changes 
  • EG. Education SC made detailed recommendations at enchanting support in early education, such as increased funding and SEND support, this was made though extensive inquiries involving interviews with school and college leaders - despite this the gov response chose not to implement them 
  • EG. BJ cancelled 2 appointments to attend the liaison committee 
• Parl scrutiny ineffective - select committees (2)

  • Majority of SC members are still drawn from governing party and there is a tradition that influential Treasury, Foreign Affairs and Defence committee are chaired by members of governing party 
  • EG. Current Parl 18/27 of SC chairs are from Lab, maj of Lab members in each committee due to large maj in HOC
• Parl scrutiny ineffective - ministerial questions

  • Leader of opposition gets 6 questions, leader of third largest party gets 2 questions, gives opportunity to directly ask government and expose gov failures
  • EG. Jan 2025 MP Diane Abbott raised concerns about severe shortage of social housing in her constituency during PMQs and demanded action
  • Starmer was reasonably good, given his experience as a prosecutor 
  • EG. 2024 Starmer used his first questions to highlight the limits of Rwanda plan, called it a gimmick and suggested it didn’t serve as a deterrent as 2400 small boats had crossed since the 16 days of the laws passing - publicly damaged Sunak reputation as he was trying to promote his plan 
  • Misleading HOC can lead to pressure to resign, pressure to be competent 
• HOC more influence HOL - passing legislation

  • Salisbury convention and Acts of Parliament
  • HOC can force a bill through after a year
  • EG. Used 7 times, equalising age of consent with sexual offences act 2000
  • HOL is limited in legislation it can veto, manifesto pledges or financial bills
  • EG. wont be able to block removal of 92 hereditary peers as it was in 2024 Lab manifesto
  • EG. 2024 parl ping pong, HOL backed down of amendments to Safety of Rwanda bill despite strong moral opposition
• HOL more influence HOC - passing legislation

  • Takes stand against bill when justified, usually HR, public backlash etc
  • Delaying power significant in influencing legislation
  • EG. 2001 ten defeats in HOL - gov removed incitement to religious hatred as an offence from anti terrorism act
  • When large gov majority - gov bill unlikely to be defeated
  • EG. BJ defeated 243 times in HOL but only 4 times in HOC
• HOL more effective HOC - scrutiny

  • Amending chamber, useful as increasingly bills rushed through parliament
  • EG. Levelling up and regeneration act 2023, gov accepted 64 HOL amendments - technical amendments that fixed issues with wording of bill so that it would function better
  • EG. Passenger railway services act received just one day of scrutiny in HOC, and skipped report stage, contrast to HOL where it got 3 days full scrutiny
  • Since reforms - HOL more professional with significant expertise, ex-politicians and professionals
  • EG. Andrew Adonis sec of state for transport under Brown
  • EG. Lord Mair geotech engineer and professor of civil engineering at Cambridge - expertise as chair of HOL science and tech committee
  • More time, not whipped, pbcs reflect balance of house
  • EG. MPs 24% in chamber between 2006-2021, 44% for peers
• HOC more influence than HOL - scrutiny

  • PMQs - starmer
  • Select committees - foreign affairs SC, director of resiliance in cabinet office
• HOC more influence HOL - debates and powers

  • Vote of no confidence, can bring down gov
  • EG. 1979 bringing down Callaghan gov
  • Upholding minority gov thorough confidence and supply
  • EG. 2010 cons DUP
  • HOC exert influence through debates, debates put issues on political agenda, pressure on gov to address - emergency debates, BBBC debates choose 35 days topic
  • EG. 2024 Iain Duncan Smith led BBBC da tés on issue of detained british nationals abroad, risk of their HR abuses, called on foreign office to provide regular reports on when each case raised and discussed, gained lot of media attention
• HOL more influence HOC - debates

  • Influence, considering issues that are not focused on in HOL, greater time in HOL - puts on political agenda
  • EG. 2024 key dates on important issues such as climate change, refugee integration, new vaccines - format of short debates allows HOL to cover range of important issues, using their expertise as leverage

  HOL legal power to force a general election if gov tries to stay on beyond 5 years
• Parl legislative scrutiny of gov effective/ ineffective

  • HOL - levelling up and regeneration act 2023
  • HOL - 2001 ten defeats
  • Minority govs - May 33 times, 118 rebelling
  • Gov control over parl timetable - passenger railway services act, one day
  • Large majority = rarely defeated - Blair, Sunak gov 56 bills, 76% royal assent - immigration and online safety act
  • HOL limits
• Parl is democratically representative

  • MPs elected through regular elections, simple plurality system, but most MPs get a majority vote in their constituency 
  • EG. South Staffordshire 2019 - Gavin Williamson won 73% of vote 
  • Recall of MPs 
  • EG. Cons Scot Benton suspended from Commons for breaching lobbying rules, replaced with a Labour candidate in Blackpool South by-election in 2024
  • EG. Wellingborough MP Peter Bone suspended after sexual misconduct, recall petition successful with 13% constituency votes, by election triggered
• Parl is not democratically representative

  • FPTP unrepresentative/ disproportional 
  • EG. 2024 Labour landslide victory with 174 seat majority despite receiving just 33.7% of the vote 
  • EG. 2019 Lib dems won 11.5% of vote but only 1.7% of seats 
  • Recall of MPs has conditions, can be seen as limited as it only introduces an element of direct democracy and accountability for MPs who have broken the law or been suspended from Parliament, rather than for all MPs
  • HOL unelected chamber yet significant scrutiny power or delaying legislation, they can be elected by party leaders 
  • EG. 2024 Cameron made into a hereditary peer by Sunak
  • EG. 92 hereditary peers
  • PMs chosen by parties rather than electorate
  • EG. 2 recent PMs, Sunak and Truss have not been party leaders during an election and implemented significant policy changes 
• Parl is representative of views

  • Close MP-cons link allows for effective local representation 
  • EG. 2022 33 Cons MPs rebelled against Truss and abstained on vote to ban fracking, gov wanted MPs to oppose it, this included MPs who had a strong local movement against fracking in the area - Mark Fletcher of Bolsover 
  • EG. 2023 22 Cons MPs supported Lab amendment to speed up compensation for victims of infected blood scandal, influenced by local movements in their constituency - Caroline Nokes for large number of victims in her constituency 
  • EG. Labour MP Quershi for Bolton SE reported that her team handled over 4,200 issues raised by constituents in first half of 2021, particularly in relation to COVID and mental health consequences 
• Parl is representative of views (2)

  • HOC and HOL represent population as a whole on issues they care about, reflection of public mood 
  • EG. 2013 Parliament listened to public and voted against military action in Syria 
  • EG. After party gate scandal, gov was thoroughly scrutinised through PMQs, debates and SCs reflecting public outrage 
  • EG. 2023 Ban on single use plastics after green movements 
• Parl is not representative of views

  • Whipping system
  • EG. 2019-2024 vast majority of MPs rebelled against party line less than 2% of the time, only 8 MPs rebelled more than 5% of the time, highest David Davis at 9.2%
  • MP second jobs
  • EG. 2023 Guardian reported that MPs were paid £10 million from second jobs and freelance work in 2022/23
  • HOL second jobs/ don’t come 
  • EG. Byline Times - 13% of peers rarely or never attend HOL
  • EG. Lord Sugar has only cast votes in 2% of divisions since joining 
• Parl is directly representative

  • Gender and ethnicity, LGBT
  • EG. Did improve from 2019 although not majorly - 34%-37% women, minorities 10%-13%
  • EG. Nearly 10% of MPs are LGBTQ+
  • Methods such as all women shortlists, mentoring programmes promising candidates from minority backgrounds 
  • HOL appointments commission seeks to appoint peers with range of backgrounds 
  • Some argue that Parl doesn’t have to be microcosm of society, can still be listened to even if not directly represented 
  • Education
  • EG. Starmers first cabinet is the most diverse in educational background ever - just 8% having attend private school, this is likely to contribute to their decision of removing VAT-exempt status 
• Parl is not directly representative

  • Still highly unrepresentative 
  • Gender and ethnicity
  • EG. 2024 37% women HOC, 29% women HOL
  • EG. 2024 13% HOC and 7.3% HOL ethnic minority compared to 20% of population 
  • Education
  • EG. 2024 23% of HOC and 57% of HOL went to private school compared to 7% of population 
  • EG. Sunak first cabinet 61% went to private school and 45% went to Oxbrige 
  • Lack of representation is significant problem - representatives do not understand wishes of population and cannot broaden political agenda 
  • EG. Male dominated Parl would not be able to fully understand or address discrimination of women in society 
• Parl is not directly representative (2)

  • There is no party list electoral system, instead MPs are selected by selection panels in local constituency parties which are often made up of older white middle aged professionals who are likely to select people similar to them and discriminate against those who aren’t 
  • Those discriminated against, less likely to put themselves forward 
  • EG. 2024 of 4519 candidates who stood from 98 different parties almost 70% were men 
• Backbencher influence / not

  • Rebellions
  • EG. May, BJ, 2021 opposition day motion passed 253-0, some dropped - 2024 criminal justice act
  • EG. Blair, Sunak, party ties and powers of patronage - 2019-2024 rebelled less than 2%, David Davis 9%
  • Debates and UQs
  • EG. Hoyle 0.6 questions a day, 2023 junior doctor strikes, 2018 Amber Rudd had to answer UQs on deportation targets and winders scandal, had to resign soon after due to misinformation, BBBC debates, 2024 Iain DS detained british nationals + foreign office
  • Get little attention/ no influence on gov policy, less time spent
  • EG. MPs 24 of their time in chamber 2006-2021
  • Legislative influence
• Backbenchers legislative influence

  • Amendments through Public Bill committees, scrutinise legislation passing through HOC, consider each bill clause by clause, for important financial bills, scrutiny by whole HOC
  • EG. Passenger services act 2024
  • EG. Think tank democratic audit - 2/3 of all MPs on bill committees had relevant expertise
  • Propose PMBs, allow bb MP to make case for new bill, allow bills with crossbench support to pass as legislation
  • EG. Abortion, Assault emergency workers act 2018
  • EG. 16 of PMBs introduced at start of 2022/23 were successful - Protection from Sex based harassment in public Act, Employment (tips) act 2023,
  • EG. Current parl - Kim Leadbeater introduced highly sig euthanasia bill for terminally ill adults

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  • Gov majorities in PMBs, defeats amendments
  • Vast maj PMBs not passed - 8% in 2022/3
  • Gov timetable, passenger Railway services 1 day in committee stage and skipped report stage