Lecture Notes on Parliament and Government

Introduction

• Brief overview of the UK Parliament and government.
• The lecture aims to explain the structure and functions in a concise manner.

Government

• Prime Minister and Cabinet
  • The government consists of about 100 ministers.
  • Each minister is responsible for different areas such as transport, education, food, and sport.
  • The government makes decisions on behalf of the public but is not all-powerful.

Parliament

• Highest Authority in the UK
  • Legislative body responsible for making and revising laws.
  • It checks and influences the government through a process called 'scrutiny'.

Structure of Parliament

• Three Key Components:

  • The Monarch
  • The House of Lords
  • The House of Commons

• House of Commons

  • Comprised of 646 Members of Parliament (MPs).
  • MPs are elected in general elections and represent different constituencies.

Functions of Parliament

• Law-Making

  • Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords spend significant time making and passing new laws.

• Debates

  • Topics can be brought up for debate by MPs allowing for the expression of various opinions.
  • Debates can sometimes be disorderly, with multiple people speaking at once.

• Scrutiny and Oversight

  • Parliament checks government activity, particularly related to raising and spending money.
  • Funding:
    • Money for government activities primarily comes from taxes (income tax, VAT, council tax).
  • Spending areas include schools, hospitals, emergency services, legal systems, and the armed forces.

Mechanisms of Scrutiny

• Questioning and Committees

  • Members of Parliament ask government challenging questions.
  • Form committees to closely examine the workings of government departments.

• House of Lords Role

  • Complements the House of Commons in scrutinizing the government.
  • Helps introduce new laws and has committees addressing major issues such as Europe, science, and the economy.

Conclusion

• The lecture provided a brief but comprehensive overview of the UK Parliament and government structure.
• Emphasized the separation of powers and roles between government and Parliament.
• Highlighted the importance of scrutiny and accountability in the parliamentary system.