Unit 7 Questions

Please answer each of the following questions.  If you are taking this course in a group you may then meet to discuss your answers.

1. What roles may the opposition be called upon to play in the passage of legislation initiated by the government?
2. How should the government ensure that the opposition is adequately resourced to carry out its functions?
3. Would you expect government Members in parliament to cooperate with the opposition when it chooses to exercise its right of scrutiny over the executive?
4. What assistance can the Clerk or Secretary General and the staff of parliament extend to the opposition to help it in its work?

Relevant Abbreviations
ComSec            Commonwealth Secretariat
CPA                  Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Select Bibliography

Birch, A. (1964). Representative and Responsible Government. University of Toronto Press.

ComSec and CPA (1998). The Role of the Opposition. London, ComSec.

CPA/WBI (2006). Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures. London, CPA.

Griffith, J.A.G. and Ryle, M.T. (2003). Parliament: Function, Practice and Procedure, 2nd edition (ed. Blackburn, R., Kennon, A. and Wheeler-Booth, Sir Michael). London, Sweet and Maxwell.

Jennings, Sir Ivor (1969). Parliament. Cambridge University Press.

Kaul, M.N. and Shakdher, S.L. (2000). Practice and Procedure of Parliament, 5th edition (ed. Malhotra, G.C.). New Delhi, Metropolitan.

May, T. Erskine (2004). Treatise on the Law, Privileges and Proceedings of Parliament, 23rd edition (ed. McKay, Sir William). London, Butterworths.

Rogers, R. and Walters, R. (2004). How Parliament Works, 5th edition. Pearson Longman UK.