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Under the British system the government is required by convention
and for practical reasons to maintain the confidence of the House of
Commons. It requires the support of the
House of Commons for the
maintenance of supply (by voting through the government's budgets) and
in order to pass primary legislation. By convention if a government loses
the confidence of the House of Commons it must either resign or a
General Election is held. The support of the Lords, while useful to the
government in getting its legislation passed without delay, is not vital. A
government is not required to resign even if it loses the confidence of the
Lords and is defeated in key votes in that House.
The House of
Commons is thus the responsible House.
The prime minister is held to account during Prime Minister's
Question Time (PMQs) which provides an opportunity for MPs from all
parties to question the PM on any subject. There are also departmental
questions when ministers answer questions relating to their specific
departmental brief. Unlike PMQs both the cabinet ministers for the
department and junior ministers within the
department may answer on
behalf of the government, depending on the topic of the question.
During debates on legislation proposed by the government,
ministers—usually with departmental responsibility for the bill—will
lead the debate for the government and respond to points made by MPs
or Lords.
Committees of both the House of Commons and House of Lords
hold
the government to account, scrutinise its work and examine in
detail proposals for legislation. Ministers appear before committees to
give evidence and answer questions.
Government ministers are also required by convention and the
Ministerial Code, when Parliament is sitting,
to make major statements
regarding government policy or issues of national importance to
Parliament. This allows MPs or Lords to question the government on the
statement. When the government instead chooses to make
announcements first outside Parliament,
it is often the subject of
significant criticism from MPs and the Speaker of the House of
Commons.
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