Why Parliamentary Control is Not Effective

 Ineffectiveness of Parliamentary Control 

Although Parliament is supposed to control the government, it doesn't always do so effectively. Several reasons make this control more theoretical than practical:

1. Parliament lacks enough time to scrutinize the growing complexity of administration.
2. MPs lack technical expertise to understand complicated financial matters.
3. The Executive controls the legislative process, limiting Parliament's influence.
4. The large size of Parliament makes it difficult to manage effectively.
5. The ruling party’s majority reduces the possibility of effective criticism.
6. Financial committees only review spending after it’s been done (post-mortem).
7. The use of the guillotine automatically approves financial matters, limiting debate.
8. Increased delegated legislation gives more power to the bureaucracy than Parliament.
9. Frequent ordinances bypass Parliament’s lawmaking power.
10. Parliamentary control is sporadic and largely political, not consistent or thorough.
11. A weak opposition and poor parliamentary behavior reduce effective oversight.

Summary

Parliament struggles to effectively control the government because of lack of time, expertise, and a large size. The government often dominates the legislative process, and tools like ordinances and financial guillotines make it harder for Parliament to hold the executive accountable.