'The House of Commons is in greater need of reform than the House of Lords.' Discuss.

The student would need to look at both the positive and negative aspects of the two chambers in order to effectively tackle the question. Two key points for and against, plus an introduction and a conclusion, need to be considered, therefore, for a decsion to be made, and this needs to be clearly structured in this mini essay-style response.  The student needs to look at how representative the House of Commons is in relation to its members from black ethinic minority backgrounds as well as the number of females, and whether female-only party lists may help buck the trend. Also, the House of Lords should be evaluated as to whether an unelected chamber is indeed necesary or democratic in the 21st Century and what alternatives there are to the current system, as well as the need for checks and balances to ensure the government of the day are acting fairly and in the interests of the electorate. Students should have a view as to what their conclusion will be prior to writing the essay as opposed to making up their minds as they are writing so as to achieve best possible marks.