2: The UK Parliament

Parliament is sovereign, and so is [blank_start]omnicompetent[blank_end]

Threats to Parliamentary Sovereignty: 1) [blank_start]1973[blank_end], EU laws 2) [blank_start]Political[blank_end] sovereignty given to government in recent decades 3) Referendums lead to [blank_start]semi-entrenchment[blank_end] 4) [blank_start]ECHR[blank_end] is treated as supreme despite not being binding on Parliament 5) Devolution is [blank_start]semi-entrenched[blank_end]

The current speaker of the House of Commons is [blank_start]John Bercow[blank_end]

House of Commons Functions

House of Lords Functions

Types of Bills: [blank_start]Private Bills[blank_end] - proposed by organisations (local authority, church) and considered by committees [blank_start]Private Members' Bills[blank_end] - proposed by individual or groups of MPs/peers (rarely pass, bring issue to Parliament's attention) [blank_start]Public Bills[blank_end] - proposed by government and expected to be passed quickly

1: [blank_start]Queen's Speech[blank_end] 2: [blank_start]First Reading[blank_end]- Bill announced 3: [blank_start]Second Reading[blank_end]- MPs debate bill, vote 4: [blank_start]Committee Stage[blank_end]- Sent to relevant Public Bill Committee (government majority in committee) 5: [blank_start]Report Stage[blank_end]- Commons as a whole approve changes 6: [blank_start]Transfer[blank_end]- 'Ping Pong', the Bill is passed to HoL for same process 7: [blank_start]Royal Assent[blank_end]

[blank_start]Parliamentary Privilege[blank_end] - MPs/peers cannot be prosecuted or sued for libel or slander for any actions which have taken place within Westminster

Expenses scandal in [blank_start]2009[blank_end]

Mhairi Black is an example of a [blank_start]proactive[blank_end] MP

Lord Adonis: [blank_start]Labour[blank_end], [blank_start]education[blank_end] expert Lord Dannatt: [blank_start]Crossbencher[blank_end], [blank_start]military[blank_end] expert

6 arguments that the UK Parliament is effective

6 arguments that the UK Parliament is ineffective

Opposition Roles: [blank_start]Ceremonial function[blank_end] at occasions (e.g. visits by foreign heads of state) To be ready to [blank_start]assume government[blank_end] if they win an election [blank_start]Defend interests[blank_end] of sections of society that are ignored [blank_start]Present alternatives to[blank_end] government policy [blank_start]Highlight[blank_end] government shortcoming [blank_start]Force government to[blank_end] explain and justify its policies

[blank_start]Public Accounts Committee[blank_end] - Examines public finances, chaired by Opposition member [blank_start]Departmental Select Committee[blank_end] - 19 total, investigate departments. Governing party has majority in each [blank_start]Liaison Committee[blank_end] - Calls the Prime Minister to account (appears before them twice a year) [blank_start]Backbench Business Committee[blank_end] - Set up by Wright Reforms in 2010, 2011 investigated Hillsborough