Task 17. The British Government: Checks and Balances

In addition to the system of scrutiny by select committees, the House of Commons offers a number of opportunities for the examination of government policy by both the Opposition and the Government's own backbenchers. These include:

1. Question time, when for 55 minutes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, ministers answer MPs' questions. The Prime Minister's question time is every Tuesday and Thursday when the House is sitting. Parliamentary questions are one means of seeking information about the Government's intentions. 'They are also a way of raising grievances brought to MPs' notice by constituents. MP's may also put questions to minister's for written answers; the questions and answer's are published in Hansard. There are about 50,000 questions every year.

2. Adjournment debates, when MP's use motions for the adjournment of the House to raise constituency cases or matters of public concern. There is a half-hour adjournment period at the end of the business of the day, while immediately before the adjournment for each recess Parliament's Christmas, Easter, Spring and summer breaks - a full day is spent discussing issues raised by private members. There are also adjournment debates following the passage -three times a year- of Consolidated Fund or Appropriation Bills, which are financial measures. These take place after the House has voted the necessary money for the Government.

In addition, an MP wishing to discuss a 'specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration' may, at the end of question time, seek leave to move the adjournment of the House. On the very few occasions when leave is obtained, the matter is debatecl for three hours in what is known as an emergency debate- usually on the following day.

3. Early day motions (EDMs) provide a further opportunity for backbench MPs to express their views on particular issues. A number of EDMs are tabled each sitting day; they are very rarely debated but can be useful in gauging the degree of support for the issue raised by the number of signatures of other MPs which the motion attracts.

4. Opposition days each session, when the Opposition can choose subjects for debate.

5. Debates held on three days in each session to consider details of proposed government expenditure, chosen by the Liaison Committee, which consider's general matters relating to select committees.

Procedural opportunities for criticism of the Government also arise during the debate on the Queen's speech at the beginning of each session; during debates on motions of censure for which the Government provides time; and during debates on the Government legislative and other proposals.

House of Lords

Similar opportunities for criticism and examination of government policy are provided in the House of Lords at daily question time and during debates.

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