This article examines ministerial responsiveness and opposition power in 19th century Britain. Using nearly half a million parliamentary speeches, it develops a novel measure of responsiveness showing ministers became more responsive during the period when government agenda-setting strength was maximized (roughly 1832-1915). The findings suggest that increased responsiveness coincided with and helped explain reductions in procedural power for opposition members. This highlights an important connection between institutional changes in government strength and parliamentary dynamics.

Data & Methods: New dataset of ~500k speeches from British House of Commons debates (1832-1915).

Key Findings: Ministers increased responsiveness around the same time they consolidated agenda-setting power. This responsiveness shift coincided with reductions in procedural powers for opposition MPs.

Why It Matters: Reveals how strengthening government authority can paradoxically lead to greater responsiveness while diminishing institutional leverage of the opposition.