How does the UK Parliament hold the Government to

account?

Dr Mark Bennister

University of Lincoln

mbennister@lincoln.ac.uk

About me

Questions…

• What does accountability look like?

• Who is accountable? Who scrutinises?

• Executive dominance?

• How can Parliament constrain the executive?

• What tools does Parliament use?

What does accountability look like?

All photos ©UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor

Who is accountable?And who scrutinises?

• Ministers are formally accountable to Parliament

• Responsible for department

• Answer questions on floor of the House

• Scrutinised by Opposition

• Select Committees

All photos ©UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor

Government dominates business

Except

• 20 opposition days – 17 for opposition & 3 for second largest opposition party;

• 13 Fridays for Private Members’ Bills

• Around 35 days for backbench business

But Government decides on:

– Recess dates – (including length of parliamentary session)

– Timing of all government bills and general debates;

– Whether time is available to debate select committee reports;

– When 20 opposition day debates fall;

– May also make statement to the House at any time;

• Business statement made to the House every Thursday –followed by questions but no vote and no opportunity to amend.

Constraints…On the floor of the Commons

Select Committees

• 40 years old

• Chairs elected by whole House

• Less partisan

• More consensual

• Produce reports and recommendations

• Scrutiny in public

Does PM always dominate?

Prime Minister’s Questions

• How does it work?

• Is it accountability?

• Does it matter?

All photos ©UK Parliament / Jessica Taylor

Leadership perceptions of PMQs

‘…we need to change, and we will change the way we behave. I’m fed up with the “Punch and Judy” politics of Westminster, the name calling, backbiting, point scoring, finger pointing’ (David Cameron, quoted in The Guardian, 6 December 2005).

‘the most nerve-racking, discombobulating, nail-biting, bowel-moving, terror-inspiring, courage-draining experience in my prime ministerial life, without question’.‘the walk [to PMQs] from the cell to the executioner’ (Tony Blair 2010)

Liaison Committee

• Since 2002

• Form of PM accountability

• But only 2/3 times a year

• More forensic

• Expert questioning by senior MPs

Summary

• Executive still holds sway esp on policymaking, controls agenda and therefore time

• Parliament can be most assertive – but largely delaying/think again type action

• But… PM doesn’t always dominate

• PM is scrutinised by Parl

• But not always ‘effective’

Reading• Bennister, M. and Heffernan, R. (2015), ‘The Limits to Prime

Ministerial Autonomy: Cameron and the constraints of coalition’ Parliamentary Affairs, 68 (1), 25-41.

• Bennister, M and Larkin (2018) ‘Accountability in Parliament’ in (eds) Leston-Bandeira, C. & Thompson, L. (2018), Exploring Parliament, OUP.

• Kaarbo, J. & Kenealy (2016), ‘No, prime minister: explaining the House of Commons’ vote on intervention in Syria’ European Security, 25 (1), 28-48.

• Kelso, A., Bennister, M. & Larkin, P. (2016), ‘The shifting landscape of prime ministerial accountability to parliament: An analysis of Liaison Committee scrutiny sessions’ The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 18 (3), 740-754

• Norton, P. (2013), Parliament in British Politics, Palgrave, chapt 3 & 4.

Online Resources

• Kelly, R and Bennister, M (2020) ‘The Liaison Committee: taking evidence from the Prime Minister’, House of Commons Library Briefing Paper, Number 08182, available online http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8182

• Institute for Government Parliamentary Resources including piece on holding Government to account over COVID19 https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/our-work/parliament

• UCL Constitution Unit see in particular recent report on Parliament and Brexit and on impact of select committees https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/parliament

• PSA Parliaments Specialist Group see my reflections on PM performance at Liaison committee here https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/parliament

• Hansard Society Lots of great material on parliament including recent piece on the wait for the Intelligence and Security Committee by my colleague Andrew Defty here https://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blog/where-is-the-intelligence-and-security-committee-and-why-does-its-absence

• Also see Lincoln Centre for Parliamentary Research ParliLinchttps://parlilinc.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/