There is no agreed definition of Parliament's functions

Andrew Heywood (1997) suggests the following functions:

1. legislation

2. representation

3. scrutiny (of the executive)

4. political recruitment

5. legitimacy

 While Mény and Knapp (1998) list:

1. representation

2. making decisions

3. control of the executive

 Joyce's (2001) choice is much broader:

1. law making

2. scrutiny (of the executive)

3. confirmation of governmental appointments

4. investigation (of issues unrelated to the actions of the executive)

5. supervision (oversight in the USA: the monitoring of the bureaucracy)

6. a forum for raising issues of local and national importance

7. judicial (for example, impeachment)

8. initiating constitutional change

 Hague, Harrap and Breslin (1998) list the following functions:

1. representation

2. deliberation

3. legislation

4. authorizing expenditure

5. making governments

6. scrutiny

7. recruitment and socialisation