AS UK Government and Politics

Topic 8 Parliament

Topic 8 Parliament

The structure of parliament

Backbench MPs are all members of the House of Commons who are not members of the government or senior (front bench) members of an opposition party Front bench MPs are members of parliament who represent a constituency but are also members of the government or a senior member of an opposition party Select committees of the House of Commons investigate the policies and work of government departments Legislative committees of BOTH houses of parliament scrutinise and propose amendments to proposed legislation Speakers of either house control debate and conduct of members Party whips inform members about business and maintain party discipline

Topic 8 Parliament

The House of Commons, May 2010

Party Conservative Labour Lib Dem Green SNP Plaid Cymru Seats won 307 258 57 1 6 3 No. of votes (millions) 10.73 8.61 6.84 0.29 0.49 0.17 % votes 36.1 29.0 23.0 1.0 1.7 0.6 % seats 47.5 39.7 8.8 0.2 0.9 0.5
continued...

Topic 8 Parliament

Party

Seats won

No. of votes (millions)

% votes

% seats

DUP Sinn Fein SDLP Alliance Others Total

8 5 3 1 1 650

0.17 0.17 0.11 0.04 0.32 25.69

0.6 0.6 0.4 0.1 6.9

1.2 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.2

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Role of the House of Commons

Legitimation Scrutiny of legislation and of government departments Calling government to account Debate and deliberation Checking over-powerful government Representing constituencies and other outside interests Redress of individual grievances Providing formal consent to government

Removing a government that has lost its confidence

Topic 8 Parliament

Departmental and other select committees

They only exist in the House of Commons Normally 1113 members, all backbench MPs MPs decide among themselves who will sit on each committee Parties represented roughly in the same proportion as the whole chamber The chair may be from an opposition party They investigate the work, policies, proposed legislation and expenditure of

government departments They have the power to call ministers, civil servants, outside witnesses and official papers They have a small research department serving them

Their style can be adversarial

Topic 8 Parliament

They present regular reports to the whole House of Commons They try to make their reports non-partisan and unanimous Most are departmental select committees; some are general scrutiny committees The most important non-departmental investigative committee is the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which looks at general government expenditure

Topic 8 Parliament

General or legislative committees

They exist in both houses of parliament They are formed for each piece of legislation They consider and vote on any proposed amendments to legislation Their size is normally between 1540

Their party membership roughly mirrors the party proportions in the whole House
They are whipped and are expected to toe the party line They can call witnesses They rarely defy the will of the government

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Strengths of the House of Commons

It can dismiss a government in extreme circumstances It can veto legislation again in unusual circumstances Select committees are influential When government lacks a solid majority, small groups of MPs can be influential It does have the power to call ministers to account Its proceedings are high profile, notably PMQT

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Weaknesses of the House of Commons

Party discipline is very strong and independence is discouraged The legislative committees have little real power to amend Government controls debate and the business of the House MPs lack significant research back-up

Ministers can resist genuine investigation of their work with the help of civil servants and advisers

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How government controls parliament

Prime ministerial patronage There is a large payroll vote of front benchers Collective government responsibility gives government collective strength Party loyalty Potential discipline of dissident members by party whips Government controls the parliamentary agenda

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Reform of the House of Commons

Recent and proposed reforms in 2010: Membership of select committees determined by backbench MPs, not party whips Select committee chairs awarded additional salary Changing the electoral system is an external reform Reducing the size of the Commons Giving citizens the power to recall unsatisfactory MPs and possibly remove them Equalising the size of constituencies Increased research facilities for MPs and committees Reforming the expenses system to prevent abuse

Topic 8 Parliament

The make-up of the House of Lords, June 2010

Categories of membership
Life peers Hereditary peers Bishops Archbishops

Number
590 91 24 2

Party
Conservative Labour Crossbenchers (no party) Liberal Democrats Bishops and Archbishops 186 211 186 72 26

Topic 8 Parliament
Point to note:

1. again that ministers are also MPs unless they are members of the House of Lords. Note again the distinctions between frontbenchers and backbenchers.
2. understand that parliamentary government and parliamentary sovereignty are not the same principle, and second, that they understand the significance of ministers also being members of the legislature. 3. the general position of the Commons remains under the broad control of government, but that this disguises the fact that the House retains a number of key roles which are independent of government control.

Topic 8 Parliament

1. Explain three functions of the House of Commons. (10 marks, 200 words) 2. Distinguish between select and standing committees of the House of Commons. (5 marks, 100 words) 3. What is the role of party whips? (5 marks, 100 words)