Is Parliament really Is Parliament really able to ‘scrutinize’ able to ‘scrutinize’

the executive?the executive?To identify the different ways in To identify the different ways in which the executive can be held which the executive can be held

to accountto account

To assess the effectiveness of To assess the effectiveness of such scrutinysuch scrutiny

Aims

Starter activityStarter activity

Compare your list with the list on the next slide

With your partner With your partner think of as many think of as many different reasons different reasons

why MPs ask why MPs ask ministers questions.ministers questions.

Why do MPs asks ministers Why do MPs asks ministers questions?questions?

Gain informationGain information Press for action or raise a grievancePress for action or raise a grievance Publicise the aims of a pressure Publicise the aims of a pressure

groupgroup Raise public profile, esp. with Raise public profile, esp. with

constituents & party membersconstituents & party members Embarrass or show support for Embarrass or show support for

ministersministers

Your taskYour task Study Roberts, p.277-8 and construct a Study Roberts, p.277-8 and construct a

spider diagram to record your notes on spider diagram to record your notes on questions in the House of Commons. Your questions in the House of Commons. Your spider diagram should include the following spider diagram should include the following categories:categories:

Question timeQuestion time The Table OfficeThe Table Office Supplementary questionsSupplementary questions PMQsPMQs Written questionsWritten questions Informal processesInformal processes

Question timeQuestion time

Question Time held Question Time held each weekday each weekday (except Fridays), (except Fridays), lasts approx. 1 hourlasts approx. 1 hour

PMQsPMQs every every Wednesday (12.00-Wednesday (12.00-12.30pm)12.30pm)

Rota system used Rota system used for ministersfor ministers

Table OfficeTable Office

Table Office (4 clerks under control of Table Office (4 clerks under control of Principal Clerk) scrutinize proposed Principal Clerk) scrutinize proposed questionsquestions

Questions requiring oral answers must be Questions requiring oral answers must be given 3 days before Question Time given 3 days before Question Time (c.5,000 oral questions p.a.)(c.5,000 oral questions p.a.)

MP may ask up to 2 oral questions & any MP may ask up to 2 oral questions & any number of written questions a day, but number of written questions a day, but only 1 oral question of 1 minister each only 1 oral question of 1 minister each Question TimeQuestion Time

Table office Table office

Must be questions, Must be questions, cannot be cannot be ‘statements’‘statements’

Must not encourage Must not encourage interpretations of the interpretations of the law (matter for courts law (matter for courts not politicians)not politicians)

Must be appropriate Must be appropriate to minister’s to minister’s departmental departmental responsibilityresponsibility Why shouldn’t ministers offer

interpretations or ‘clarifications’ of the law?

Supplementary questionsSupplementary questions

MPs asking questions MPs asking questions are permitted 1 are permitted 1 supplementary supplementary questionquestion

Speaker may allow Speaker may allow further further supplementaries supplementaries from other MPsfrom other MPs

No advance notice No advance notice for supplementary for supplementary questionsquestions

Former Home Secretary, David

Blunkett answering questions during Question Time

PMQsPMQs Every Wednesday, 30 mins.Every Wednesday, 30 mins. Questions chosen by Questions chosen by

lottery, ‘lottery, ‘the shufflethe shuffle’’ MPs can ask ‘open MPs can ask ‘open

questions’ about questions’ about ‘engagements for the day’ ‘engagements for the day’ and then supplementary and then supplementary questionsquestions

System changed in 1997. System changed in 1997. Previously PMQs took Previously PMQs took place on Tuesday and place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon Thursday afternoon

Leader of Opposition may Leader of Opposition may make up to 4 interventions make up to 4 interventions during PMQ's and the during PMQ's and the leader of the Lib. Dems leader of the Lib. Dems asks 2asks 2

Tony Blair answering questions

at the Despatch Box, during PMQs

Written questionsWritten questions

Ministers must Ministers must respond to written respond to written questionsquestions

c.50,000 written c.50,000 written question p.a.question p.a.

Questions & Questions & answers published answers published in in HansardHansard

Informal processesInformal processes Written questions to Written questions to

ministerminister Informal processes, e.g. Informal processes, e.g.

through Backbench through Backbench Committees, Parl. Parties, Committees, Parl. Parties, 1922 Committee1922 Committee

Private Note Questions Private Note Questions (PNQs) – urgent questions (PNQs) – urgent questions at short notice, front at short notice, front bench spokesperson in bench spokesperson in OppositionOpposition

Apply to Apply to SpeakerSpeaker before before NoonNoon

Question asked at 3.30 in Question asked at 3.30 in HoC to relevant minister HoC to relevant minister (Average of 4 or 5 a (Average of 4 or 5 a month)month)

Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr Michael

Martin

Your taskYour task

Analyse the membership, functions Analyse the membership, functions & possible reforms of parliamentary & possible reforms of parliamentary committees by completing the table committees by completing the table your teacher gives you. Use Watts, your teacher gives you. Use Watts, p.208-9 and your own research.p.208-9 and your own research.

A scene from the biannual Liaisons Committee, during which the chair people of all the major parliamentary committees are able to give the PM a grilling for up to 2 ½ hours on the issues of the day.

Your taskYour taskYou are going to hold your own committee meeting. You are going to hold your own committee meeting. Appoint a PM and a Chairperson. The Chairperson will Appoint a PM and a Chairperson. The Chairperson will explain how the task will work.explain how the task will work.

JusticeJustice Immigration & asylumImmigration & asylum Foreign policyForeign policy The economyThe economy SportSport The EnvironmentThe Environment Education and skillsEducation and skills Science & technologyScience & technology HealthHealth Home affairsHome affairs

Your taskYour task

List ways the opposition can hold the List ways the opposition can hold the government to account in green. In government to account in green. In red list ways the powers of the red list ways the powers of the Opposition are limited. On balance Opposition are limited. On balance do you think the Opposition is do you think the Opposition is effective? Write a judgement effective? Write a judgement paragraph using topical evidence to paragraph using topical evidence to support your ideas.support your ideas.

Effectiveness of Effectiveness of oppositionopposition

Structured and regular challengeStructured and regular challenge Provides alternative to govt policy 7 Provides alternative to govt policy 7

legislationlegislation Sustained scrutiny & debateSustained scrutiny & debate Provides bi-partisan support, e.g. Provides bi-partisan support, e.g.

when war declared against Iraqwhen war declared against Iraq Alternative to government – policies Alternative to government – policies

need to be coherent & convincingneed to be coherent & convincing

Weakness of OppositionWeakness of Opposition

Not supported by civil service Not supported by civil service advisers / resourcesadvisers / resources

Govt sets the agenda & Opposition Govt sets the agenda & Opposition respondsresponds

PM sets date of GEPM sets date of GE Polarises policies – tries to set ‘clear Polarises policies – tries to set ‘clear

water’ between govt & oppositionwater’ between govt & opposition Landslide victories for govt. weaken Landslide victories for govt. weaken

role of Opposition, e.g. in divisionsrole of Opposition, e.g. in divisions

PlenaryPlenary

How effective are questions in How effective are questions in holding the executive to account?holding the executive to account?

How effective are committees in How effective are committees in holding the executive to account?holding the executive to account?

Does David Cameron’s opposition Does David Cameron’s opposition provide a credible opposition party?provide a credible opposition party?

Extension taskExtension task

Visit the BBC News website: Visit the BBC News website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politichttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7661120.stms/7661120.stm

Gather information on the leading Gather information on the leading members of Cameron’s ‘Shadow members of Cameron’s ‘Shadow cabinet’. In particular, think about cabinet’. In particular, think about their particular skills & experience their particular skills & experience for their posts.for their posts.