The Role of Parliament

The Role of Parliament

Learning Objectives

• To describe the institutions that make up parliament• To investigate the roles of parliament• To produce a research project on the evolution of

parliament

The Role of Parliament• Parliament is the legislative branch of the political system

in the UK.• In other words, it is the legislature or the place where laws

are made.• Parliament is composed of three parts;

- the monarch- House of Lords- House of Commons

Parliament is made up of three distinct parts.

What are they?

The Monarch• Technically, the monarch

has the final say as to whether a bill can pass into law by giving it royal assent, after which the bill becomes an Act of Parliament.

• However, no monarch has declined to give the royal assent to a bill since Queen Anne, who died in 1714.

House of Lords

• The House of Lords has the power to delay legislation, although, as was seen on the issue of hunting with dogs, parliamentary devices exist to enable the House of Commons to get its own way.

• The Lords is a deliberative and revising chamber.

COMPOSITION• 3 types of peers – none are

elected• Life peers – appointed by PM - 678• Hereditary peers – 92• ‘Lords Spiritual’ – bishops,

archbishops – appointed by PM - 26

POWERS• Delay bills by up to one year• Some veto powers

House of Commons

• It is the House of Commons that has the greatest influence.

• It is where every prime minister of the past century has sat and over 90% of all ministers are drawn from it.

• When discussing the power of parliament, much emphasis is placed on the role of the House of Commons, especially its relationship to the executive.

COMPOSITION• 650 MPs (not a fixed number, reduced

to 600 in 2015)• Single-member parliamentary

constituencies using ‘first-past-the-post’ electoral system

• MP = almost always representative of a party

• Subject to party disciplinePOWERS• Supreme legislative powers• Can remove the government of the

day

Parliament is an essential part of UK politics. Its main roles are:• Examining and challenging the work of the government

(scrutiny)• Debating and passing all laws (legislation) • Enabling the government to raise taxes

http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/role/• Using the website, investigate the roles and powers of

parliament.• Compile comprehensive notes on each section.

The Role of Parliament• The two-House system• Checking the work of

government• Legislation• Debate• Rules and customs• Traditions of

Parliament• Parliament and

government

• Parliament and Crown• Devolved Parliaments

and Assemblies• Europe• The evolution of

Parliament

Origins of ParliamentBirth of the English Parliament

The development of parliamentary authorityThe Civil War The Gunpowder Plot The Glorious Revolution

Changes in legislative authorityParliament and Ireland Act of Union 1707 Parliament and Empire Parliament and Europe

House of CommonsThe Reform Acts and representative democracy

House of LordsHouse of Lords reform Judicial role

Parliament at workCommunicating parliamentary business

The Evolution of Parliament Research TaskTASK:

Produce a 1,000 word overview of

the evolution of parliament.

You should include all the

following sections.

Use the evolution of parliament website

http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament

/

Watch the videohttp://www.parliament.uk/education/online-resources/parliament-explained/houses-of-history-old/

Use the interactive timelinehttp://assets.parliament.uk/education/houses-of-history/main.html#

Use the history of parliament websitehttp://

www.historyofparliamentonline.org/explore

The Evolution of Parliament Research Task

Homework