Parliament essay examples

uk parlaiment topic, essay ready examples

House of lords amendments

the lords proposed multiple amendments to the Illegal Migration Act 2023, resulting in further debate on the commons.

How effective is the House of Lords at scrutinising government?

the commons is dominant and can override the lords, but they provide valuable scrutiny and accountability

An example of ministerial questions

In 2023, Yvette Cooper used ministerial questions to scrutinise Home Secretary Braverman over a speeding offence, raising concerns about ministerial conduct

An example of Prime Minister questions

At Prime Minister’s Questions in 2023, Keir Starmer questioned Rishi Sunak over rising NHS waiting lists, forcing the Prime Minister to justify government performance

How effective are the PMQs at holding govt accountable

they provide strong visibility and scrutiny as well as media attention, however the answers are often limited in depth as answers are pre scripted and very partisan

Analyse the impact of the Burkean theory on the role of elected officials

Mps act using their own judgement, allowing for informed decision making which can reduce the direct accountability to voters

Evalute the effectiveness of the delegate theory in representing constituents

Mps act on their constituents wishes, proving democracy is strong, however when the constituency is divided this theory becomes impractical as an mp must resort to their judgement.

An example of the delegate theory

in 2016, mps opposed BREXIT deals based on their constituencies votes

Process of choosing select committees

members are elected by mps to reflect the balance of house of commons, this increases the legitimacy and independence

How are select committees chairs chosen?

through secret ballot from the house of commons, this enhances its authority and reduces government control

Why were the 2010 reform significant?

committees became more independant and assertive as it reduced executive influence

The main role of a select committee

to scrutinise government departments, spending, administration and policy

Powers of a select Committee

can call witnesses, such as ministers, demand documents, and produce reports with recommendations on policy

What is a limitation of select committees?

they can’t enforce recommendations and the government can ignore their findings

How effective are select committees in scrutinising government?

Select committees can be effective in scrutinising government. For example the Treasury Select Committee’s investigations into the financial crisis, which influenced opinions on bankers accountability and proved it was possible to hold high profile people to account. However, their influence is limited, as shown by the Home Affairs Select Committee, when their immigration amendments on the immigration policy were ignored, showing that committees lack formal power to enforce change.

One factor that strengthens a committees influence

cross party membership increases its credibility and reduces partisan

One factor that limits a committees effectiveness

a govt majority in parliament can reject their recommendations

How did the House of Lords Act 1999 change the Lords?

removed hereditary peers, reducing them from 750 to 92, increasing the amount of life peers, making the lords more meritocratic

Did the reforms of the house of lords affect its legitimacy?

improved its legitimacy, however they are still unelected

How did the reform affect the Lords function?

strengthen its role as a revising chamber making it more confident in challenging government legislation

Salisbury convention

a limiting factor of the House of Lords, they can not oppose policies which are in the manifesto of an elected government

How did the reform affect the Lords scrutiny?

improved legislative scrutiny as their are more life peers who have a wide range of diverse expertise and experience