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.

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’.