"The Senate is a much more effective scrutinising body than the House of Lords". Evaluate this
view.
Para Key Points Key Points
Intro HOL + Senate - check power of other chamber. HOL + Senate - more time lengthy debate.
Lords = amendments to bill passed by gov. - dominated by Senate - smaller allows filibuster - 1 senator
HOC or rejects bill completely. speaks at length to prevent measure being
Senate = 'saucer' cools partisan passion of HOR. passed on chamber floor.
Each chamber - scrutiny, revision + voting greater deal expert Can only be ended - closure motion - need 3/5's
deliberation than other chamber. of Senate.
Important differences functions - HOL + Senate.
2 Composition - HOL larger - 791 members. Wakeham Neither chamber resembles broader
Commission 2000 - reduced to 550 members. population.
Senate = 100 members + more testing qualifications than the Predominantly white, well-educated, middle
HOR. class + middle aged men.
Age + residency qualifications. Women in HOL - 22% - 2012.
Senators - 20% - 114th Congress.
3 Senators - territorial rep. each State - 2 members, regardless Currently 88 hereditary peers who remain until
of size/pop. phase 2.
HOL membership - largely heredity, now phasing out Other members - Archbishops + Bishops = 26.
selection through inheritance - Labour Government's 1999 Law Lords are the other members.
reforms. Steps in 1999 to make HOL less elitist + more
Bulk = life peers 677 - only peers for their lifetime + can't be fitting for modern parliamentary democracy -
passed on. no members are elected.
Life Peerages Act 1958 - change composition - allowed Gov. Any talk of 'modernising steps' sound quaint to
appointment of Life Peers + Peeresses. Americans - Senate fully elected 1913 - 17th
Amendment.
4 Members HOL - serve for life, serving bishops cease to be Salisbury Convention - Lords should not reject a
members when they lose position. bill at 2nd reading from gov. manifesto.
Senate - 6 year terms, longer period = greater stability + Lords - defer to HOC due to its lack of mandate
continuity. + can be accounted to the voters.
Further stability - phased election, 1/3 up for re-election Parliament Act 1911 +1949 limited power to
every 2 years. delay bills that received backing in HOC.
HOL = un-elected, number on constraints - role it can play - Threat of an inconvenient delay - persuades gov
legislative process. to make concessions.
Lords - initiate bill usually - non-controversial legislation that 2006-07 1911 Lords amendment were passed,
the HOC would not want to waste time drafting. Lords defeated 43 gov. amendments.
5 Lords check gov. work - questioning + debating decisions, . Ask detailed questions. Written questions -
Lords, house questions ministers - each days business, no set extract info increased - 1000 per session to 5000
days for government departments. in 2006-7.
Limited to 4 questions + 30 mins. Answers expected - 14 days + published in
Oral questions directed at gov. + not specific departments. Hansard.
Statements occasionally made - individuals inform Lords Lords, 1 day in week - aside for general debates
important development/emergency e.g. suspected bombs + short debates.
left outside London nightclub. No votes. Lords spends 40% of time scrutiny +
60% legislation.
6 Lords select committees do not shadow government work. Each one runs inquiries + reports within specific
Investigations - into specialist subjects, taking advantage of areas.
expertise + greater time. 2006-07 46 committee reports published by
Committees: European Union Committee, Science+ Lords.
Technology Committee , Constitution Committee, Economic Other committees set up issues outside main
Affairs Committee, Communications Committee groups.
7 USA, Senate + HOR both initiate bills (Senate can't on Done by conference committee - made up of
revenue bill). members of original standing committee.
The bill - hands of speaker of House/Majority Leader in No bill can be passed without approval of
Senate. These officials refer to the appropriate committee in Senate.
respective house - consider it concurrently. Senate - kill/amend legislation.
Bill passed with amendments, differences must be Senate approve executives budgetary
reconciled. proposals.
8 Concurrent powers - Congress override presidential veto - Presidential system, President not answerable
2/3's majority. Power to declare war - jointly held. to one chamber unlike PM.
Senate - number of powers solely, e.g. confirmation of Not the same focus of attention on one house
presidential appointments cabinet + S.C. ,conviction + than other.
removal, ratification foreign treaties - 2/3's majority.
view.
Para Key Points Key Points
Intro HOL + Senate - check power of other chamber. HOL + Senate - more time lengthy debate.
Lords = amendments to bill passed by gov. - dominated by Senate - smaller allows filibuster - 1 senator
HOC or rejects bill completely. speaks at length to prevent measure being
Senate = 'saucer' cools partisan passion of HOR. passed on chamber floor.
Each chamber - scrutiny, revision + voting greater deal expert Can only be ended - closure motion - need 3/5's
deliberation than other chamber. of Senate.
Important differences functions - HOL + Senate.
2 Composition - HOL larger - 791 members. Wakeham Neither chamber resembles broader
Commission 2000 - reduced to 550 members. population.
Senate = 100 members + more testing qualifications than the Predominantly white, well-educated, middle
HOR. class + middle aged men.
Age + residency qualifications. Women in HOL - 22% - 2012.
Senators - 20% - 114th Congress.
3 Senators - territorial rep. each State - 2 members, regardless Currently 88 hereditary peers who remain until
of size/pop. phase 2.
HOL membership - largely heredity, now phasing out Other members - Archbishops + Bishops = 26.
selection through inheritance - Labour Government's 1999 Law Lords are the other members.
reforms. Steps in 1999 to make HOL less elitist + more
Bulk = life peers 677 - only peers for their lifetime + can't be fitting for modern parliamentary democracy -
passed on. no members are elected.
Life Peerages Act 1958 - change composition - allowed Gov. Any talk of 'modernising steps' sound quaint to
appointment of Life Peers + Peeresses. Americans - Senate fully elected 1913 - 17th
Amendment.
4 Members HOL - serve for life, serving bishops cease to be Salisbury Convention - Lords should not reject a
members when they lose position. bill at 2nd reading from gov. manifesto.
Senate - 6 year terms, longer period = greater stability + Lords - defer to HOC due to its lack of mandate
continuity. + can be accounted to the voters.
Further stability - phased election, 1/3 up for re-election Parliament Act 1911 +1949 limited power to
every 2 years. delay bills that received backing in HOC.
HOL = un-elected, number on constraints - role it can play - Threat of an inconvenient delay - persuades gov
legislative process. to make concessions.
Lords - initiate bill usually - non-controversial legislation that 2006-07 1911 Lords amendment were passed,
the HOC would not want to waste time drafting. Lords defeated 43 gov. amendments.
5 Lords check gov. work - questioning + debating decisions, . Ask detailed questions. Written questions -
Lords, house questions ministers - each days business, no set extract info increased - 1000 per session to 5000
days for government departments. in 2006-7.
Limited to 4 questions + 30 mins. Answers expected - 14 days + published in
Oral questions directed at gov. + not specific departments. Hansard.
Statements occasionally made - individuals inform Lords Lords, 1 day in week - aside for general debates
important development/emergency e.g. suspected bombs + short debates.
left outside London nightclub. No votes. Lords spends 40% of time scrutiny +
60% legislation.
6 Lords select committees do not shadow government work. Each one runs inquiries + reports within specific
Investigations - into specialist subjects, taking advantage of areas.
expertise + greater time. 2006-07 46 committee reports published by
Committees: European Union Committee, Science+ Lords.
Technology Committee , Constitution Committee, Economic Other committees set up issues outside main
Affairs Committee, Communications Committee groups.
7 USA, Senate + HOR both initiate bills (Senate can't on Done by conference committee - made up of
revenue bill). members of original standing committee.
The bill - hands of speaker of House/Majority Leader in No bill can be passed without approval of
Senate. These officials refer to the appropriate committee in Senate.
respective house - consider it concurrently. Senate - kill/amend legislation.
Bill passed with amendments, differences must be Senate approve executives budgetary
reconciled. proposals.
8 Concurrent powers - Congress override presidential veto - Presidential system, President not answerable
2/3's majority. Power to declare war - jointly held. to one chamber unlike PM.
Senate - number of powers solely, e.g. confirmation of Not the same focus of attention on one house
presidential appointments cabinet + S.C. ,conviction + than other.
removal, ratification foreign treaties - 2/3's majority.
