Transcript Slide 1

Get Involved!
What is Parliament?
Responsible for:
• Creating new laws
• Holding Government to account
Consists of:
• The Monarch
• House of Commons
• House of Lords
House of Commons
• Democratically elected chamber of
Parliament
• 650 Seats
• Directly elected at least every 5 years
• The party with the largest number of seats
forms the government
House of Lords
• Secondary chamber of Parliament
• Approximately 740 members
– Life peers
– Hereditary peers
– Bishops
The Monarch
• A politically neutral role
• Signs off laws passed by Parliament
(Royal Assent).
• Opens Parliament each year
Government
• Approx 110 members
• Chosen by Prime Minister
• Senior and junior ministers
Parliament is separate to Government
How can
groups get
involved?
Parliamentary Questions
Can be used to:
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Obtain information – stats, policies, positions
Press for action
Raise constituency issues
Challenge Government policy
Must have factual basis and relate to the running
of a government department
Parliamentary Debates
• Adjournment debate (HoC)
• Questions for Short Debate (HoL)
Allows MPs and Members of the HoL to:
• Raise constituency issues or matters of regional,
national or international significance
• Get the issue to the attention of a relevant
minister
• Get a response from the Government
Early Day Motions
Allows MPs to show their opinion on a
particular subject
Can be used to:
• Draw attention to an issue
• Call for action
• Commemorate, congratulate, condemn
All Party Parliamentary Groups
• Cross-party
• Both MPs and Members of the House of
Lords
• Based around common interest (e.g.
Voluntary and Community groups,
football, Zimbabwe)
• Not involved in formal decision making,
but important in developing knowledge
Select Committees
• Set up to scrutinise specific areas of work and
government departments
• Work carried out through public enquiries
• Groups and individuals submit evidence to
enquiries
• Enquiry report created and usually passed to
relevant government department
Keep it local or
make it
national?
National, Regional and Local
Local authorities have a wide range of powers and
duties.
National policy is set by central government, but
local councils are responsible for all day-to-day
services and local matters.
Local authorities are funded by government grants,
Council Tax and business rates.
Source: direct.gov.uk
National, Regional and Local
All legislation which is implemented at a local and
regional level has to be passed by Parliament.
Parliament has the power and mechanisms to
scrutinise the work of regional and local bodies.
Difference between design of legislation and the
implementation of legislation.
All power of local authorities is granted by
Parliament – e.g. byelaws and council tax
Local Government Powers and
Duties
Local authorities work within the powers laid down
under various Acts of Parliament - the functions of
local authorities are far reaching.
Some functions are mandatory, which means that
the authority must do what is required by law.
Others functions are discretionary, allowing an
authority to provide services if it wishes.
Source: direct.gov.uk
Local and National Links
The main link between local authorities and central
government in England is the Communities and
Local Government department. It is responsible for
national policy on how local government is set up,
what it does, how well it works, and how it is
funded.
Other central government departments deal with
national policy on local services, in particular:
•Department
•Department
•Department
•Department
•Department
for Education
for Culture, Media and Sport
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
of Health
for Transport
Source: direct.gov.uk
Where can I get information?
• www.parliament.uk
• 020 7219 4272 – Commons information
• 020 7219 3107 – Lords information