British Legislature

Created by: yazminab
Created on: 06-05-19 12:41

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The Legislature
- The role of Parliament:
  - Passing legislation: supreme law making body, passes and amends laws.
  - Scrutiny of the Executive.
  - Representation: must reflect public opinion, respond to widely held grievances and give minority viewpoints 'air time.'
  - Recruitment of ministers.
  - Debate: esp issues of national concern: 2002 to debate the possibility of a war in Iraq.
- The Speaker
  - Currently John Bercow.
  - Backbench MP with a long experience of the House and are elected by fellow MPs.
  - Roles/duties:
    - Chair HOC meetings (impartial).
    - Call MPs to speak/regulate speeches and questions.
    - Adjourn the house: pro hunt protesters stormed the HOC 2004.
    - Cast the deciding vote on a bill: vote for status quo.
    - Select/allocate chairpersons for select committees.
- MPs, Parties and Whips:
  - MPs:
    - Best represent their constituents by toeing the party line: Benjamin Disraeli.
    - Increasingly careerist: "yes men"
    - "Lobby Fodder"
    - Backbencherswill hold the government to account.
      - Represent constituents/serve constituents/vote on legislation/debates/committee work/PMBs/scrutiny.
    - Private members bills.
  - Parties:
    - Most legislation is government led.
    - Second largest party: the official opposition.
      - Opposition days/extra time in debates/extra questions/extra time in committees.
        Damaging contributions in debates
        
        Public criticisms in Question Time.
        
        Hold the Executive to account.
  - Whips:
    - Senior MPs who act as a channel of communication and discipline.
    - Functions: Management/communications/assistance/discipline.
    - 1993 Maastricht Treaty, whips pinned rebellious MPs to the wall to force them to toe the party line.
- House of Lords
  - Parliament Act 1911: can no longer veto legislation but only delay it.
  - Functions:
    - Scrutiny of the Executive.
    - Debates: highly knowledgable on Europe.
    - Revision of Legislation: 2012 legislation in the reform and reduction of benefits for disabled people.
    - Recruitment of Ministers: remarkable pool of talent of retired ministers who have specialist knowledge.
  - Salisbury Convention: cannot block legislation outlined in gov manifesto.
- Legislative Process
  - First reading; Second reading; committee stage; report stage; third reading; royal assent.
    - All stages must be completed within one Parliamentary sitting.
  - Private Bills: apply only to a particular area e.g. a private company or public body.
    - Manchester Ship Canal: 19th Century.
  - Public Bills: Most bills are public bills and are gov sponsored.
  - Private Members Bills:majority fail
    - 741 introduced between 1990 and 1997, only 173 passed.
    - 1960s reforms on abortion and homosexuality were achieved through PMBs.

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British Legislature

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