UK government essay plans Exam for 2023/2024 COMPLETE SOLUTION 100%
VERIFIED ANSWERS A+ GRADED Free
Evaluate how far the power of the executive has been undermined by constitutional
reforms since 1997 PARA 1 - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..P1 - P1 - devolution
Blair, as part of his democratising reforms, enabled referendums to be held on
devolving legislative powers to Scotland, Wales and NI. This has undermined the power
of the executive by granting other assemblies powers that used to be held at
westminster. Westminster now has no say on certain areas of legislation in devolved
assemblies. 1997 resulted in an overwhelming 'Yes' victory, leading to the Scotland Act
1998 being passed and the Scottish Parliament being established in 1999. The
Scotland act 1998 - legislated for the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament
with tax varying powers and the Scottish Government (then Scottish Executive). This
has also allowed for Scotland to hold independence referendums, potentially making
them completely separate from Westminster, where the English parliament would have
no say over any matters. This has been helped by the SNP and its increasing
popularity. However, no referendum resulted in independence
In 1997, a second referendum, following the 1979 referendum, on devolution, saw the
Welsh electorate vote narrowly in favour of establishing a National Assembly for Wales
(Senedd) by 50.3 per cent, on a 50.2 per cent turnout. The Government of Wales Act
1998 granted the formation of the National Assembly and granted it a significant number
of new powers which included most of the powers previously held by the Secretary of
State for Wales and at least 20 national institutions including the Education and
Learning Wales, Environment Agency Wales and the Welsh Language Board. The
Northern Ireland Act 1998 formally established the Assembly in law, in accordance with
the Good Friday (or Belfast) Agreement.
This devolution has created voting issues for UK parliament due to west lothian
question
CA
CA - not enough, EVEL, brexit
EVEL has partly solved the wes
,Evaluate how far the power of the executive has been undermined by constitutional
reforms since 1997 PARA 2 - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..P2 - HRA given courts more power -
reduced exec power most
HRA codified ECHR into British law. Gave the judiciary power to undermine the actions
and legislation of parliament.
Done through DOI and judicial review.
David miranda case, Gina Miller case, Belmarsh case
CA
parliament is sovereign, no judicial decision is binding, govt can repeal or make any law,
Raab looking to create a Bill of Rights.
Control orders with belmarsh
Raab wants to create a British bill of rights which would specify laws so the judiciary
cannot wield much power of interpretation.
Evaluate how far the power of the executive has been undermined by constitutional
reforms since 1997 PARA 3 - ✔✔ANSW✔✔..P3 - parliamentary reform
Made select committees by secret ballot - no influence of PM on select committees.
Gave more power to backbenchers - backbench business committee
Select committees are able to force the government to amend/create legislation and
hold the executive to account. 40% SC recommendations are taken into account
Committee reports are well researched and can lead to good laws being passed
Microbeads were banned in Jan 2018 - environmental audits committee. Also, 5p paper
plastic bags being banned was a recommendation from the environment committee.
HOL - greater legitimacy - no where near undermining the power of the exec as the
commons
CA
still parliamentary majority, bill committees.
Govt not bound by the confirmation hearings (heads of public bodies go to SC and
questions and before becoming head of that body, SC grill them, and recommend
whether they should be appointed. E.g Last ofsted head - Caroline Spellman -
education select committee said she is not fit to head ofsted but govt put her in anyway.
PM can appoint Bill committees
The Government still has a parliamentary majority on committees.
PM can avoid committees - Boris avoided the Liaison committee 3 times in 2019.
Evaluate the view that backbenchers have little impact on parliament INTRO -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..Backbenchers are MPs who are not part of the government or the
opposition shadow cabinet. In the last decade, backbenchers have been able to
influence politics more due to the increase in unstable governments' having fewer seats
and issues such as Brexit causing defiance, which has made some question whether
their impact has increased, particularly with the number of backbench rebellions.
Former speaker John Bercow was willing to facilitate creative uses of parliamentary
procedures in ways that gave backbenchers more power to influence than usual.
, However, Backbenchers will have less scope to use innovative tactics with the return of
a majority government following the 2019 election and new speaker Lindsay Hoyle.
However, the 2017-19 parliament may have had a cultural impact in facilitating
backbench activism that could be hard to reverse. As they did in the last parliament,
backbenchers will now have to focus on using more conventional parliamentary
procedures to hold the government to account, influence debate and represent their
constituents' interests. Despite this, it is a more convincing argument to suggest that
backbenchers do have a large impact on parliament.
Evaluate the view that backbenchers have little impact on parliament PARA 1 -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..P1 - • Select committees can give backbenchers significant powers as
each one shadows a government department with a role to scrutinise the activities of
this department. • Departmental committees - scrutinise the activities of depts. • 1.
Running of a dept • 2. Legislation that is to be passed or has been passed by dept • 3.
Scrutinise the dept budget • Backbenchers now have influence in Select Committees
due to the 2010 Wright reforms which introduced secret ballots for members and most
chairs. • Whips no longer play a part in choosing members resulting in independent
minded MPs been elected who are more likely to hold that government department to
account. • For example, Sarah Woolaston was very critical of the government's health
reform in 2015 but under the new system, became chair of the health select committee
after predictably not getting a role in government. • The influence of these select
committees is very apparent, particularly as Margaret Hodge stated as chair of the
Public Accounts Committee that she had "more influence in that role than as a
government minister." Many now see select committees as a better career path. • Select
Committees write reports after their investigations and their influence is clear as 40% of
recommendations are accepted into government policy; 5p plastic bags were introduced
by the government after being recommended by the Environment Select Committee. •
Committees reports are well researched and can lead to good laws being passed
Microbeads were banned in Jan 2018 - environmental audits committee • Jeremy Hunt
(Health SC) - sent out a Tweet urging a lockdown in January 2021 and has held the
government to account on covid policy. • Dominic Cummings criticises the govt over
handing of COVID in an explosive lengthy hearing. • The privileges committee af
Evaluate the view that backbenchers have little impact on parliament PARA 2 -
✔✔ANSW✔✔..P2 - Another argument is that backbenchers have had a growing role in
passing legislation. • Historically backbenchers were largely regarded as lobby fodder
and told how to act by their party whips but since 2010, backbenchers have become far
more assertive. • Due to the succession of coalition, small majority and then minority
governments, backbenchers have had a growing role in ensuring parties reach
majorities and therefore cannot be alienated by parties. • Furthermore, debates
surrounding Brexit has given many backbenchers a sense of commitment to a cause
meaning that backbenchers have become more used to portraying their own beliefs
rather than just following the party line, this may facilitate a culture of BB activism which
is hard to reverse. • While Tony Blair lost only 4 divisions in the Commons over ten
years, Theresa May lost 33 between 2017 and 2019 alone, reflecting how the
combination of a minority government and an issue like Brexit results in backbenchers
