What are the functions of Parliament

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What are the functions of Parliament?
? starter activity

• Work with your partner and list as many different
  jobs or services that the House of Commons
  provides

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The role of the Commons
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? Your task
Roberts, p.262-263
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Law-making

• Parliament is the UK legislature
• Supreme law-making body
• Convention that legislation should be fully
  discussed before it is put to a vote

The judiciary is separate from the executive in
the UK. Why do some analysts think this is a key
strength of Britains constitutional setup?
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Representation

• As an elected body, the HoC is expected to
  reflect public opinion and respond to widely held
  grievances
• Minority viewpoints should at least be allowed a
  hearing

To what extent do you think the HoC truly
represents minority groups?
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Debate

• Apart from discussing legislation parliament is
  regarded as the proper place to debate issues of
  national concern even if they cannot be affected
  by a change in the law, e.g. September 2002
  Parliament recalled to discuss possibility of war
  in Iraq

PMQs. Do you think important issues of the day
are properly debated in the Commons?
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Scrutiny of the executive

• Under the principle of accountability, ministers
  are accountable to parliament for their decisions
• Governments can be dismissed if they lose the
  confidence of a majority of MPs

David Blunket, who resigned as Sec. of State for
the Home Office following problems in his
personal life. Should ministers accept this sort
of responsibility?
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Recruitment of ministers

• By convention all ministers must be members
  either of the Commons or of the Lords (e.g.
  Baroness Amos Lord Falconer both served in
  Blairs govt.)
• In other words, members of the executive must
  also be part of the legislature (unlike the USA)

Baroness Amos, Sec. of State for International
Affairs
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Legitimation

• Elected part of Parliament, from which executive
  is largely drawn
• Support from MPs provides the executive with
  legitimacy
• Loss of a vote in HoC may lead to a vote of
  confidence in the executive

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? Your task

• Discuss the following question with your partner
• How effectively does the HoC fulfil all its
  roles?

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? Your task

• Watch the clip from Parliament Uncovered and
  complete a spider diagram similar to the one
  below

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? Your task

• You are going to create a guide to the key
  institutions of the British Parliament. Use the
  task sheet below to help you structure your
  notes

Task sheet