How does the UK Parliament hold government to account?

In bullet points:

• The bill system allows for UK legislation brought forward by the government to be debated in both the House of Lords and Commons where amendments can be put forward and all legislation is dependent on passing both Houses.

• Select Committees and Public Bill Committees are useful sources for holding the government to account. Select Committees have specific areas, the Public Accounts Committee, for example, holds all public spending to account and frequently challenges Ministers on their departmental spending.

• Prime Minister's Questions is a direct way of challenging the head of the government on any area of policy in the most public forum and most watched piece of House of Commons business weekly forcing the PM to answer tough questions in a tough environment.

• Similarly opposition day debates allow for debate in Parliament that the government would not necessarily want to be on record or in public debate. An example would be the consideration of the Spare Room Subsidy opposition day debate brought forward by Ed Miliband pre 2015.