Mixed Methods Approach: Coding Parliamentary Work Louise Thompson

Can committees successfully amend government bills? No existing data for quantitative analysis Interviews? Useful but wouldn’t give full picture. Better for case studies of specific bills or amendments Best option is to put together a database yourself from all of the written parliamentary records available

Allows you to quantify aspects of Parliament that are otherwise only available in written form

Bill committees are an example of ‘Parliament at its worst’ Provide evidence for aspects of Parliament that are often simply speculation/ anecdotes Bill committees are an example of ‘Parliament at its worst’ Divisions in the Commons are so ‘monotonously 100 per cent or nearly 100 per cent it is hardly worth making the count’ (Beer, 1966)

Stage 1: Simple database of amendments

Stage 2: Coding debates and amendments Categorising amendments into different levels: MINOR: “in clause 1, page 1, line 8, leave out ‘guarantee’ and insert ‘entitlement” SUBSTANTIAL: ‘in clause 3, page 5, line 20, at end add—‘(6) The Local Government Ombudsman will not investigate complaints relating to the Pupil and Parent Guarantees which are regarded by the Ombudsman as unreasonable or vexatious.’ Also coded outcomes of amendments – types of responses from ministers It would give the local government ombudsman greater flexibility when deciding which complaints to pursue relating to the pupil and parent guarantees. It would allow him not to pursue complaints that he regarded as unreasonable or vexatious.

Stage 2: Stronger and more relevant results

Stage 2: Stronger and more relevant results

Follow up with interviews/case studies Table 10. Bills with the Highest Frequency of Successful Non Government Amendments Follow up with interviews/case studies Actually the changes are often result of certain bills Bill Session Number of Non Government Amendments Proceeds of Crime 2001-02 15 Hunting 2002-03 8 Electoral Administration 2005-06 6 Company Law Reform Criminal Justice 5

Combine with qualitative data (Hunting Bill) “the interplay between us in [the Hunting Bill] Committee [was] helpful in teasing out the issues in the detail of the Bill. If Standing Committees have any purpose—I sometimes doubt whether they do—that is it” (Edward Garnier) “Members listened to each other and [were] prepared to change their points of view on the basis of the arguments that they [heard]” (Lembit Opik)

Types of research that fit with this approach Basically fits well with anything to do with parliamentary debates – where you can quantify very simple things. Could be number of questions asked by different types of MPs at PMQs. But it is particularly useful where you want to look at different outcomes or at things like different types of questions. Where you can have a scale – so it would be to what extent the PM answers the question. Or types of question asked.

Challenges Deciding HOW to interpret debates and how to categorise amendments . Your opinion or the opinion of the MP? e.g. “in clause 4, page 5, line 28, leave out ‘shall’ and insert ‘may’” Minor amendment? But MP says: “would also ensure that it would be up to the head teacher and the school to decide not only whether there should be a personalised home-school agreement, but whether a parental declaration should be required as part of that” Children, Schools and Families Bill, 2010 (Clause 4: Home-School Agreements) More significant than simply a minor change of wording? Means you can easily have different results to someone else. Need to decide how to do this at the start and then only compare directly if you know the other person is doing it the same way.

The things I really wish I’d been told …..

1. This type of research takes a LONG TIME! 1. Because of how much you end up having to read Because of all the checking Because of all the double checking and the recoding

Hansard isn’t always right! Hansard may be the official report, but it can and does get things wrong. Sometimes it misses out amendments. You don’t always get the full wording of the amendment. Sometimes whole sections are missing and you need to report it to the web team in parliament and wait for them to fix it and give you access. Hansard isn’t always right!

Think carefully about how you store/analyse your data

Articles following this/similar methods Russell, M, Gover, D and Wollter, C (forthcoming) ‘An elaborate rubber stamp? The Impact of Parliament on Legislation’, Parliamentary Affairs (PDF here) Thompson L. (2013) ‘More of the same or a period of change? Bill Committees in the Twenty First Century House of Commons’, Parliamentary Affairs, 66 (3), 59-479. Kreppel A. (2002) ‘Moving Beyond Procedure: An Empirical Analysis of European Parliament Legislative Influence’, Comparative Political Studies, 35, 7, September 2002, pp. 784 – 813. Shephard, M and Cairney, P. (2005) ‘The Impact of the Scottish Parliament in Amending Executive Legislation’, Political Studies, 53, 2, 2005, pp. 303 – 319.