starter activity Which is the House of Lords and which is the House of Commons? Write down as many...
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Transcript of starter activity Which is the House of Lords and which is the House of Commons? Write down as many...
starter activity
Which is the House of Lords and which is the House of Commons? Write down as many differences as you can between the two institutions.
Why do we have Why do we have Parliaments?Parliaments?To understand the functions To understand the functions
of of legislatureslegislatures
To evaluate the pros and cons To evaluate the pros and cons of bicameral systemsof bicameral systems
Aims
Your taskYour task
Read Watts, p. 183 and explain the Read Watts, p. 183 and explain the origin and meaning of the word origin and meaning of the word ‘legislature’‘legislature’
What is a legislature?What is a legislature?
Parliament – from French word, Parliament – from French word, ‘parler’ (talk)‘parler’ (talk)
Legislature – from Latin for ‘legis’ Legislature – from Latin for ‘legis’ (law) and ‘latio’ (proposing)(law) and ‘latio’ (proposing)
Representative assembly Representative assembly empowered to make laws empowered to make laws
A medieval parliament
Your taskYour task
What do parliaments do? Read What do parliaments do? Read Roberts, p.263 and create a spider Roberts, p.263 and create a spider diagram identifying the key diagram identifying the key functions of parliament.functions of parliament.
Law-makingLaw-making
Parliament is the Parliament is the UK legislatureUK legislature
Supreme law-Supreme law-making bodymaking body
Convention that Convention that legislation should legislation should be fully discussed be fully discussed before it is put to a before it is put to a votevoteThe judiciary is separate from
the executive in the UK. Why do some analysts think this is a key
strength of Britain’s constitutional setup?
RepresentationRepresentation
As an elected body, the HoC is expected to As an elected body, the HoC is expected to reflect public opinion and respond to reflect public opinion and respond to widely held grievanceswidely held grievances
Minority viewpoints should at least be Minority viewpoints should at least be allowed a hearingallowed a hearing
To what extent do you think the HoC truly represents minority groups?
DebateDebate Apart from discussing Apart from discussing
legislation parliament legislation parliament is regarded as the is regarded as the proper place to debate proper place to debate issues of national issues of national concern even if they concern even if they cannot be affected by cannot be affected by a change in the law, a change in the law, e.g. September 2002 e.g. September 2002 Parliament recalled to Parliament recalled to discuss possibility of discuss possibility of war in Iraqwar in Iraq
PMQs. Do you think important issues of the
day are properly debated in the Commons?
Scrutiny of the executiveScrutiny of the executive
Under the principle Under the principle of accountability, of accountability, ministers are ministers are accountable to accountable to parliament for their parliament for their decisionsdecisions
Governments can Governments can be dismissed if they be dismissed if they lose the confidence lose the confidence of a majority of MPsof a majority of MPs
Peter Haine, who recently resigned from his Cabinet
post following an investigation by the
Electoral Commission
Recruitment of ministersRecruitment of ministers By convention all By convention all
ministers must be ministers must be members either of the members either of the Commons or of the Commons or of the Lords (Lords (e.g. Baroness e.g. Baroness Amos & Lord Falconer Amos & Lord Falconer both served in Blair’s both served in Blair’s govt.)govt.)
In other words, In other words, members of the members of the executive must also be executive must also be part of the part of the legislaturelegislature ((unlike the USAunlike the USA)) Baroness Amos, Sec. of
State for International Affairs
LegitimationLegitimation Elected part of Parliament, from which Elected part of Parliament, from which executiveexecutive is is
largely drawnlargely drawn Support from MPs provides the executive with Support from MPs provides the executive with
legitimacylegitimacy Loss of a vote in Loss of a vote in HoCHoC may lead to a vote of confidence may lead to a vote of confidence
in the executivein the executive
HomeworkHomework
Read Watts, p.183 and create a Read Watts, p.183 and create a scales chart summarising the scales chart summarising the advantages and disadvantages of advantages and disadvantages of bicameral systems. Use the BBC bicameral systems. Use the BBC news website or other sources to news website or other sources to find examples to illustrate each of find examples to illustrate each of the points.the points.
Your taskYour task
Watch the clip from ‘Parliament Watch the clip from ‘Parliament Uncovered’ and complete a spider Uncovered’ and complete a spider diagram similar to the one below:diagram similar to the one below:
Monarch
Speaker
Committees
MPs
HoL
HoC
Parliament
Your taskYour task
Look at the cartoon on p.264 (Item A). Look at the cartoon on p.264 (Item A). What point is the cartoonist making? To What point is the cartoonist making? To which function of Parliament does this which function of Parliament does this refer?refer?
Using items A,B & D list the different Using items A,B & D list the different roles of the Houses of Commons and roles of the Houses of Commons and Lords.Lords.
How is the US Congress different from How is the US Congress different from the UK Parliamentary system? Is this any the UK Parliamentary system? Is this any better?better?
PlenaryPlenary
Give arguments for and against Give arguments for and against recruiting ministers from the House recruiting ministers from the House of Lords or having ‘cabinets of all of Lords or having ‘cabinets of all the talents’.the talents’.