Parliament's function of scrutiny and accountability

Created by: oniqa
Created on: 31-10-13 21:11


	Parliament's function of scrutiny and accountability
	Advantages The House of Lords can delay bills of the Commons for up to a year (this is limited to those in the Salisbury Convention and in the PM's manifesto).This can encourage the Commons to make amendments making sure that laws are rightful and will be obeyed. The PM and his ministers are regularly scrutinised by the Commons in Minister's Question Time and Prime Ministers Questions. This helps to scrutinise the executive, hold him accountable for the proposed bills and enable him to justify the decisions made. Opposition days and private member bills help to hold the government to account. Private member bills allow less senior MP's to have their legislation discussed and debated by Parliament if their name is picked out of a ballot. Departmental select committees oversee individual departments in the governing party, scrutinising them.	Disadvantages Select committees are dominated by the party in government hence scrutiny and accountability is limited. Whips ensure that loyal party members are selected to join the select committees! The govt will always have the most access to information and resources (ministries) making it difficult for select committees and the opponents to fully scrutinise their actions. Large majorities and party discipline results in elective dictatorship where the PM essentially does as he pleases. This results in very few laws being blocked by the House of Commons.
	Evaluation It could be argued to a greater extent that although Parliament attempts to fulfil its function of scrutiny and accountability through Prime Minister's Questions held every Wednesday, Departmental Select Committees and opposition days, the function is not fully fulfilled. Prime Minister's Questions are pre-determined where the PM is able to counteract any criticism from the opposition party by backing his proposals up with well-known facts, Private Member Bills can contain 'planted' questions which the governing party want as legislation and Select Committees do not always fully scrutinise the government in fear of the whips and party loyalty.

Parliament's function of scrutiny and accountability

Advantages

The House of Lords can delay bills of the Commons for up to a year (this is limited to those in the Salisbury Convention and in the PM's manifesto).This can encourage the Commons to make amendments making sure that laws are rightful and will be obeyed.
The PM and his ministers are regularly scrutinised by the Commons in Minister's Question Time and Prime Ministers Questions. This helps to scrutinise the executive, hold him accountable for the proposed bills and enable him to justify the decisions made.
Opposition days and private member bills help to hold the government to account. Private member bills allow less senior MP's to have their legislation discussed and debated by Parliament if their name is picked out of a ballot.
Departmental select committees oversee individual departments in the governing party, scrutinising them.

Disadvantages

Select committees are dominated by the party in government hence scrutiny and accountability is limited. Whips ensure that loyal party members are selected to join the select committees!
The govt will always have the most access to information and resources (ministries) making it difficult for select committees and the opponents to fully scrutinise their actions.
Large majorities and party discipline results in elective dictatorship where the PM essentially does as he pleases. This results in very few laws being blocked by the House of Commons.

Evaluation

It could be argued to a greater extent that although Parliament attempts to fulfil its function of scrutiny and accountability through Prime Minister's Questions held every Wednesday, Departmental Select Committees and opposition days, the function is not fully fulfilled. Prime Minister's Questions are pre-determined where the PM is able to counteract any criticism from the opposition party by backing his proposals up with well-known facts, Private Member Bills can contain 'planted' questions which the governing party want as legislation and Select Committees do not always fully scrutinise the government in fear of the whips and party loyalty.

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Parliament's function of scrutiny and accountability