Very detailed notes on the 2022 A-Level advanced information for the Parliament topic in Paper 2 of the course. The notes include case studies, tables of arguments that can be used in essay planning, and overall necessary knowledge that earned me an A* in the 2022 exams.
Parliament Notes
2.1 The Structure and Role of the HOC and HOL 2
The selection of members of the HOC and HOL, including the various types
of peers 2
The main functions of the HOC and HOL and the extent to which the
functions are ful lled 5
2.2 The comparative powers of the HOC and HOL 11
Debates about the relative powers of the two houses 11
The exclusive powers of the HOC 12
2.3 The Legislative Process 14
The di erent stages a bill must go through to become law 15
The interaction between the commons and the lords during the legislative
process including the Salisbury convention 17
2.4 The way in which parliament interacts with the executive 18
The importance of parliamentary privilege 18
The role and signi cance of backbenchers in the HOC and HOL 19
The work of select committees 22
The role and signi cance of the opposition 27
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,2.1 The Structure and Role of the HOC and HOL
• The selection of members of the HOC and HOL, including the various types of peers
• The main functions of the HOC and HOL and the extent to which the functions are ful lled
The selection of members of the HOC and HOL, including the various types of peers
The structure of UK parliament
The UK parliament is described as a ‘bicameral’ system (a legislative body made up of two
chambers). It helps create a balance in the political system although often the second chamber
will have a di erent kind of membership to ensure better representation and prevent the 1st
chamber from having too much power.
The structure of the house of commons
• 650 MP’s each elected from a constituency which are roughly equal in size - 60,000-80,000.
Most constituencies are in England (533) and the rest in Scotland (59), Wales (40) and
Northern Ireland (18)
• Nearly all mp’s represent a political party, independent are rarely elected
• MPs divided into front benchers and backbenchers
• Frontbenchers are more seniors - in the governing party they are party o cials and ministers
appointed by the PM (normally about 90 on the governing side). The leading members of the
other side (spokespersons and shadow ministers) are also described as frontbenchers -
normally about 50.
• Backbench MP’s are therefore the majority and can be more independent than frontbenchers
but are still expected to show party loyalty. Members of smaller parties are also
backbenchers.
Ministers are only front-bench MP’s, backbench MP’s are not ministers.
• MP’s do much of their work in committees - main types are select committees and legislative
committees.
• All main parties appoint party whips (a party o cial appointed by the party leader whose role
it is to maintain party discipline and loyalty, to inform MP’s about parliamentary business and
to act as a means of communication between backbenchers and party leaders) who work
under the chief whip. Their main concern is making sure their MP’s are aware of parliamentary
business, they also try to ensure party loyalty and to persuade a reluctant MP to support their
party line.
• Whips may inform their party leadership about how MPs are feeling about an issue and
may warn of possible rebellions and dissidence.
• The proceedings of the house of commons are presided by the speaker. This is an MP who us
elected by all other MP’s though they must come from a party yet are expected to put aside
their party allegiance when chairing the commons.
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, The structure of the house of lords
Its size is not regularised by law (currently 800 members following the introduction of 36 new
peers in August 2020) and its method of appointing members is dubious (undermined).
• 92 members are hereditary peers, people who have inherited a title that entitles them to sit with
the lords. This number was determined by the House of Lords act 1999. When a hereditary peer
dies, their successor must be elected by all remaining hereditary peers based on party
a liation.
• 26 members are archbishops and bishops of the church of England known collectively as the
‘lords spiritual’. However, recently leaders of other religions halve been appointed - though as
life peers (a prominent member of society who is guaranteed peerage) - rather than permanent
acknowledgement of the diverse religious beliefs held in the UK.
• The other members of the lords, life peers, are appointed - technically by the monarch but it has
been one of the prerogative powers passed onto the PM. These appointments are political
appointments meaning they are expected to follow the party line.
• There are also non-political appointments advised by NGO’s and even the public. There is a
house of lords appointment which decides who gets appointed and can also veto unsuitable
appointments put forward by party leaders.
• There is no rm constitutional principle concerning the balance of party members in the lords -
in general there is a convention that parties can make nominations in relation to their strength
in the commons.
• Therefore, since 2010 the conservative parties have made the most nominations and as
life peers are appointed for life it may take time to alter the balance.
• The political make up of the lords is di erent to the commons as it is always the case that the
governing party doesn’t have a majority due to the fact there are so many non-party members
(cross-benchers) meaning there cannot be a party majority.
• There are front-bench spokespersons in the house of lords just as there are in the commons
who are expected to be loyal to their party.
• As in the commons, much work takes place in committees - legislative committees to
consider proposed legislation and select committees (however these are much less signi cant
than in the lords)
How could the house of lords be reformed?
There is a strong consensus that reform is needed, however there is little agreement as to what
this is. The debate is centred around the composition of a reformed chamber but there has been
little argument for change in powers of the second chamber for 2 reasons;
1. An increase in its powers would possibly lead to an American style system where the two
legislative chambers have similar style and status. This makes legislation complex, long
winded and too di cult. A more powerful second chamber would also duplicate the work of
the commons for no real advantage.
2. If powers of the lords were taken away then the point of it would be questioned so the present
powers of the lords are broadly supported.
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