10.1c Powers of the Executive

Question 1

Royal prerogative

Answer 1

The royal prerogative is the monarch’s powers which the prime minister or cabinet exercise.

Prerogative powers which relate to the judicial system include legal pardons and reducing offenders’ sentence lengths.

The executive has prerogative powers to deploy the army, grant honours and use prerogative emergency powers so they can act decisively during times of emergency.

Question 2

Royal prerogative examples

Answer 2

In 2018 PM Theresa May sent British fighter jets to carry out airstrikes on Syria in response to the regime’s use of chemical weapons without Parliament’s approval.

In 2018 PM Theresa May appointed new members to the House of Lords, including former Conservative minister Eric Pickles.

After the London Bridge terror attack and an explosion on a tube train in 2017, PM Theresa May used prerogative emergency powers to raise the UK’s terror threat level to critical.

Question 3

Initiating legislation

Answer 3

The executive has the power to enact policies in its manifesto which can be made into law by parliament as primary legislation.

The executive can initiate secondary legislation where it makes changes to the existing law under powers granted from the existing act of parliament.

Secondary legislation enables the executive to change the law without a new bill needing to be pushed through parliament because of provisions in the original act allowing for future changes.