Parliament

• What are the functions of parliament?

  1 . Legislate

  2. Accountability

  3. Deliberation

  4. Legitimation

  5. Elite recruitment

  6. Representation
• Most life peers are are political appointments chosen by party leaders. House of Lords appointment commission scrutinises appointments to the House of Lords.
• What does the salisbury convention do?

  Ensures the lords cannot block any legislation which the House of Commons is attempting to pass that appeared on the governing partys manifesto.
• Commons select committee's include:

  The most important committee for the House of Commons is the Public accounts committee. Departmental Select Committee's scrutinise the work of government departments and their spending, there are 19 of these. Backbench Business committee.
• What is the Public accounts committee?

  Committee scrutinising public finances and holds the government to account for delivery of public services. e.g PAC scrutiny of HS2 due to cost overruns .
• What is a the liasion committee?

  A committee made up of the chairs of select committee's. Questions PM twice a year on public policy . Non enforceable .
• What does the backbench business committee do?

  Decides what will be discussed on the one day a week allocated to backbench business.
• PMQ's are a form of scrutiny . The PM answers half an hour of questions on wednesday. 6 questions are given to the leader of the opposition.
• House of lords reform act 1999 . Limits hereditary peers to 92, 1st stage of reform. 2nd stage completed in 2014 , which allows peers to resign or retire or excludes them if they fail to attend for a whole session.
• Recent example of lords delaying legislation

  Hunting act 2004 which banned fox hunting with hounds.
• What is a whip?

  A party official appointed by the party leader whose role is to maintain party discipline and loyalty as well as keeping MPs and party leadership informed
• 1949 parliament act lords can only delay legislation for 1 year.
• Composition of the house of commons. 34% are females, 10% BME , average age is 58 while UK average is 40 , 63 members are LGBT . 44% of torys and 19% labour went to private school , 6% of uk pop went to private school.
• What are backbenchers?

  MP's who do not have roles in the government or shadow cabinet . Therefore the vast majority of MP's are backbenchers
• How do MP's have parliamentary privilege?

  MP's have immunity from slander laws within parliament , therefore giving complete freedom of speech , allowing MP's to carry out duties without fear of legal repercussions e.g The calling out of British lawyers in 2022 for helping Russian oligarchs win legal battles against western sanctions by conservative MP Seely was only possible in the HOC or he may have been sued for defamation
• When was the backbench business committee set up? why was it set up?


  Set up in 2010 to give backbenchers more of a say in parliamentary agenda
• What did the Wright reforms establish?


  The backbench business committee , committee chairs elected by backbenchers rather than party leaders and a petitions committee for e-petitions over 100,000 signatures
• Why do rebellions occur more often since 2010?


  Due to the smaller size of party majorities since 2010 rebellions have been more common e.g Blair had 3 rebellions in his 10 years, all of which where in his third term . Contrasting with May's 33 times
• What are urgent questions?


  Plea to the speaker to allow a backbencher to question a minister on an urgent issue
• How can urgent questions be important to scrutiny?

  They allow backbenchers the opportunity to question and scrutinise govt over important issues e.g 2023 question regarding junior doctor strikes and how the conservatives planned to resolve this
• Trend in urgent questions?

  General increase since 2010 , huge spike between 2017 and 2019 due to Brexit
• How can backbenchers have legislative influence over govt?

  Backbenchers can take part in Public Bill committees which scrutinises the bills passing through the commons and can suggest amendments
• Limits to the influence of backbenchers?

  Power of patronage - Mp's want to retain their seat and hope to serve in government , therefore they aim to be loyal

  Majorities limit the influence of a rebellion - rebellions are less common and often far less of an issue e.g Blair only has 3

  Effectivity of methods - Urgent questions or debates do raise awareness , but are non binding and often have little effect

  Limited legislative influence - Backbenchers can propose change to legislation through public bill committees however governments can often defeat amendments it doesnt support.
• What are select committees?

  Established by Thatcher , there is one for every government department and also several non departmental committees with their own functions
• What authority do select committees have?

  The government is expected to respond to reports publicly within two months and can influence policy e.g Office for budget responsibility first suggested by the Treasury select committee
• Ways the influence of a select committee is limited?

  Select committee members are drawn often from the governing party , so its possible scrutiny may not be as effective as possible

  Ability to summon witnesses is not ultimate , May blocked the request to interview the head of MI5 in 2013 - Johnson twice cancelled interviews

  Government accepts about 40% of select committee recommendations , but these are usually minor changes
• How do select committees in the lords differ?

  Committees in the lords do not shadow departments but rather scrutinise legislation and investigate particular issues
• Ways the opposition provides effective scrutiny?

  Shadowing of departments while providing alternative policies puts pressure on the government e.g the Shadow secretary during Sunaks govt heavily critiqued the strategy regarding asylum seekers

  Role of opposition leader - able to directly question PM at PMQ's

  Use of media - labours use of social media to hold conservatives to account

  Opposition's use of opposition days and possible cooperation with government rebels to defeat bills
• Ways the opposition is not effective at scrutiny?

  Opposition doesnt entirely focus on scrutiny but appealing to the public and readyness to take over

  A large majority prevents the effectiveness of an opposition

  Most motions / bills passed through opposition days face government amendments canceling motions

  Opposition gains little media attention when the government is popular or performing well e.g Starmer fails to gain attention during COVID
• Ways ministerial question time provides scrutiny?

  In PMQ's leader of the opposition has 6 questions which will gain a direct response from the government , giving them an ability to expose government failure e.g Corbyn made a habit of asking questions from the public

  PMQ's is shown on TV and is the most watched aspect of politics among the public , exposing the opposition and government

  Provides genuine debate among politicians therefore presenting voters with a clear choice - important for democracy
• Ways ministerial questions doesnt provide effective scrutiny?

  PMQ's is focused more on political point scoring where soundbites are the most important part

  Scrutiny is dependent on the effectiveness of the leader of the opposition , Corbyn in particular was poor , resulting in limited scrutiny
• Ways in which parliament can hold the executive to account?

  • Urgent questions and emergency debates may be used to scrutinise important issues
  • Government backbenchers can unite with opposition to rebel on bills
  • Scrutiny of legislation in public bill committees and propose their own in PMB's
  • The house of lords is increasingly independent , representative with more time to scrutinise and amend legislation
  • HoC can bring down a govt with a vote of no confidence as in 1979
• Ways the executive can exert dominance of parlt?

  • FPTP may result in large majorities , limiting the effectiveness of rebellions
  • Govt can control secondary legislation and rarely opposed by parlt
  • PM's power of patronage - control over govt and party ensures that MP's are loyal to govt
  • Threats to resign from govt and force a general election can force rebelling MP's into line - not used often ( John major twice )
  • Over 100 MP's are part of govt and therefore bound by collective responsibility , known as payroll vote
• How is the balance of power between parlt and the executive dependent on majority and popularity

  • When govt has a large majority they are able to exert dominance over palrt as legislation is rarely defeated - when govt has a small majority legislation can be defeated
  • Parliamentary scrutiny has less of an impact on a popular govt and is unlikely to harm the govt in the election
• Parliaments power has grown?

  The wright reforms in 2010 grew palrt power in comparison with the exec , New labours reforms to the house of lords also allowed grater scrutiny over legislation by making the house of lords more professional and capable of scrutiny
• Does the UK have an elective dictatorship? Yes

  • Govt control the vast majority of legislative agenda and can pass secondary legislation with little scrutiny
  • supreme court has no power to strike down legislation passed by parliament , even if it infringes on human rights
  • FPTP produces strong govts which are able to introduce major constitutional reform , rarely defeated in palrt - Blair 3 times in 10 years
  • Power of patronage gives the executive and PM significant power over the government party