The Structure and Role of Parliament

• Composition of Parliament

  • UK parliament has two chambers and it is a bicameral legislature
  • Hoc is the lower chamber
  • HoL is the Upper chamber
• Bicameralism benefits

  • Upper house provides checks and balances
  • greater level of scrutiny
  • two houses may represent different interests
• Bicameralism Problems

  • possible conflict between the two houses
  • may cause a gridlock where laws cannot be passed
  • Lower (democratic) chamber may become frustrated with upper (appointed) chamber
• Composition of Parliament

  • House of Commons - 650 elected MPs
  • House of Lords - approx 800 unelected life peers, aristocratic, hereditary and bishop peers
• Current government majority

  • conservative party forms a majority government
  • current working majority is 54, takes into account the speaker and their deputies and the non-sitting sinn fein Mps
  • sinn fein mps don't take up their seats on moral grounds nor do they receive the MPs salary however they are entitled to expenses
• Functions of Parliament

  Key function : Parliament helps maintain legitimacy and uphold the British political system
• Key Functions of Parliament

  • Making law / passing legislation
  • scrutinising the executive, including role of the opposition
  • debating major issues
  • recruitment of the executive - PMs and Ministers
  • representation
• Making Law / Passing Legislation

  • all legislation must pass through both houses before it reaches the statute book
  • allows members to debate the bill
  • Most legislation begins in the commons, all finance bills start in the commons bc it controls tax and spending
  • in HoL peers can introduce bills bia a ballot however a tiny minority only ever become law
  • Sometimes secondary legislation is used to amend to add to an existing act of parliament ie the misuse of drugs act