functions of parliament

debating major issues

• parliament is the place where people expect issues of major important to be discussed

• for example, the HoC held debates before the war in Iraq

• parliament becomes the focus of the nation’s attention on these occasions

• if a crisis emerges during a parliamentary recess, it’s not unusual for members to demand that parliament be recalled in order for the issue to be discussed

  • assisted dying bill - 29/11/24

making legislation

• all government legislation must pass through what can be a lengthy process in both the HoC and HoL before it reaches the statute book

• this gives members an opportunity to debate the principles of the bill before them as well as the detail of the legislation

• there is also the opportunity for MPs to table amendments to the legislation in order to get concessions from the government

• delegated legislation does not have to pass through a rigorous procedure, but orders still have to be laid before MPs

  • Budget Responsibility Act 2024

scrutinising the executive

• PMQT

• debates

• select committees

• opposition days

• questions to ministers

  • against Rishi Sunak on Rwanda bill

  • Kemi badenoch acting as the opposition during PMQs

representation

• political parties attempt to reflect the views of the people who elect them

• individual MPs attempt to represent the people in their constituency, whether they voted for them or not

• in this way MPs are accountable

  • 40% women in the HoC

financial scrutiny

• there is an annual Finance Bill, otherwise known as the Budget, which has to be passed in order for taxation and spending to continue

• in addition, there are a number of parliamentary committees that oversee matters such as government spending

  • rachel reeves scrutinised over her budget - 2024

redress of grievances

• citizens can go to parliament and lobby their MP about a particular issue that concerns them

• some MPs take up such causes and can either try to persuade government to change the law or attempt to change the law themselves using the procedure of private members’ legislation

  • post office scandal

  • infected blood scandal

THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

• a bill is a draft legislative proposal that’s debated in parliament

• government sets out its legislative programme in king’s speech at the beginning of a parliamentary session

• pre-legislative scrutiny has increased in recent years and so the government may produce a green and/or white paper explaining the objects. basically scrutinising bills before they become legally binding

• there has been an increase in controversial legislation, so it ensures it’s watertight before it becomes an Act

  • Brexit, Rwanda Bill

• a bill may go back and forth between the two houses in a process known as parliamentary ping pong

• happened between 2010-2012 when the commons overturned a series of lords’ amendments on legal aid and welfare reform

• if an agreement cannot be made, the government must either accept the changes suggested, drop the bill or invoke the Parliament Act

other bills

• legislative proposals initiated by backbench MPs rather than government ministers are known as private members’ bills.

• they can take one of three routes:

  • ballot - early on, 20 names of MPs who wish to introduce a bill are drawn in a ballot. these have allocated times on 13 fridays in the sessions

  • ten minute rule bill - MPs have 10 mins to make a speech to introduce a bill or existing legislation

  • presentation - an MP presents a bill on the floor of the house by introducing the name of the bill

secondary legislation

• Acts of Parliament are primary legislation

• the authority to issue secondary legislation are also known as delegated legislation, in specific policy areas it can be delegated by parliament to government ministers

• some 3,500 pieces of statutory instruments are issued each year on matters such as immigration, taxation and education

• they are scrutinised by the statutory instruments committee