Parliament - Functions

Scrutiny of gov, passing legislation, representation

Bercow’s urgent questions

0.44 per day

Public Accounts Committee

• NHS Test and Trace

• NHS IT system with 700% overspend

Due to the large focus on Brexit, only __ acts of parliament were passed, compared to __ in 2021

• 31

• 70

In ___ clauses in the ___________ ___ to allow suspects to be held for __ days without charge were defeated by the Lords by ___ votes, prompting Brown to drop them from the bill.

• 2009

• Counter-Terrorism Bill

• 191

In ____, the Lords defeated Osborne’s SI to cut ___ ____

• 2015

• tax credits

The House of Lords rejected the Rwanda bill over _ times, but it was eventually forced through by the government.

7

In 2020, the commons rejected the ___ amendment, which would have ensured unaccompanied child refugees would be able to join their relatives in the Uk after Brexit. This was due to Johnson’s __ seat majority

• Dubs

• 90

What proportion of Britons favour an elected House of Lords?

55%

The Joint Bill Committee on the ____ ____ Bill proposed ___ amendments to enhance public safety

• online safety

• 127

the 1949 Parliaments Act has only been invoked _ times to push government legislation through

4

Approximately __% of peers are cross benchers, allowing them greater freedom to scrutinise and improve government legislation

20%

In Feb 2025, the House of Lords introduced amendments on the ___ ____ to strengthen ______’s ’ copyrights in face of AI.

• Data Bill

• musician’s

In ____, Lord ____, a constitutional expert, introduced the ____ __ _____ Bill to introduce a more formalised committee for peer appointements.

• 2024

• Norton

• House of Lords Bill

2007-8 Michael martin’s urgent questions

• 4

• 0.02 per day

Lindsay Hoyle’s urgent questions

0.6 per day

• David Davis (con)

• Post office Horizon scandal

• Department of Business

Urgent Question Jan 2024

any MP can apply to the speaker for an urgent question under Standing Order __

21

The 2005 Terrorism Act passed in __ days.

18

Total opposition days

20

• 17 to Official Opposition

• 3 to 2nd largest party

How many MPs voted against HS2, in 2016, showing a strong constituency link.

44

Mps can apply for an emergency debate under Standing order __

24

Over the decision of the UK government to prevent the Gender Recognition Bill passing in Scotland

Emergency debate - Jan 2023

Emergency Debates Cons

• not binding

• Mps must vote on whether the debate will take place

• no amendments to original debate allowed

Emergency Debate Nov 2021

• Brought by Lib Dems

• On Owen Patterson Lobbying scandal

What proportion of the public think that PMQs is ‘informative’?

36%

% who think PMQs ‘makes me proud of parliament’

12%

How many questions des the leader of the opposition get at PMQs

6

Starmer used PMQs to ask Truss ‘_____ ___ ___ ____ ___’ after the disastrous mini budget.

why are you still here

In 1997, Blair called Major ….

weak, weak, weak

In 2007 Cameron used PMQs to attack ‘____ ___’

Bottler Brown

PMQs can also be disadvantageous, with Sunak unsuccessfully labelling Starmer as a ‘________’ and making a trans joke while the mother of murdered trans teenager Brianna Ghey was in the gallery

flip flopper

select committee membership is chosen by MPs following the _____ _____ (___)

Wright Reforms 2010

Dr Sarah Wollaston

• Kept off Health and Social Care Public Bill Committee (2013)

• Voted as chair onto Health and Social Care Select Committee (2014)

Domestic Abuse Public Bill Committee

• received over 96 pieces of written evidence

• Jess Phillips MP member of committee

Hoyle broke convention (that only gov could amend opposition day motions) and allowed labour to change SNP’s language on call for immediate cease-fire

SNP opposition day Feb 2024

weakness of opposition days

• votes unbinding

• gov always votes against opposition motions

last opposition day motion that past was in ____ with a ___ rebellion following ____’s campaign for ____’s rights.

• 2009

• Lumley

• gurkha