Parliamentary Scrutiny

• Parliamentary representatives


  MPs or Lords who make up parliament
• Main function of parliament

  • Scrutinise the government by holding them to account
  • Ensure one party cannot hold all the power
  • Represent voters' views
• Ways parliament holds government to account

  1. Questioning the government and their plans

  2. Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs)

  3. Debating

  4. Voting

  5. Work of committees

  6. House of Lords
• Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs)

  Every Wednesday for 30 minutes, Prime Minister takes questions from MPs
• Effectiveness of PMQs


  • Potential to embarrass the Prime Minister and government
  • Public, so media can pick it up leading to further scrutiny
  • Limited by Conservative majority, so not all parties have equal opportunity to ask questions
  • Prime Minister can avoid answering questions
• Voting in the House of Commons

  1. MPs walk into 'aye' or 'no' door in a 'division'

  2. Majority of MPs need to agree for a vote to pass

  3. Can be effective if MPs from the governing party 'rebel'
• Limitations of MPs holding government to account through voting

  • Whip system controls actions of majority of representatives
  • MPs who don't follow party line may be suspended or not chosen as candidate in next election
• Select committees


  1. Cross-party groups of 11-15 MPs

  2. Meet weekly to scrutinise government departments

  3. Gather evidence, write reports with recommendations
• Effectiveness of select committees

  • Government works to avoid embarrassment, so likely to address committee's concerns
  • More time to question ministers compared to Commons
  • Limited by government majority on committees
• House of Lords


  • More independent chamber, less pressure to follow government's will
  • Can force government to answer questions, attend hearings, and make changes to bills
• Limitations of House of Lords

  • Undemocratic, as many members appointed by Prime Minister
  • Will eventually back down and accept will of democratically elected House of Commons
• MPs have some success in holding government accountable, but government's majority influence can limit this