10.3d Role of the Cabinet

Question 1

Policy maker

Answer 1

The cabinet reaches final decisions over government policy. Government members have to endorse policies in cabinet meetings and reach an agreement.

The cabinet is needed to legitimise and ratify the prime minister and government’s policies.

Smaller cabinet committees of fewer cabinet ministers carry out a large amount of cabinet work and make recommendations which the full cabinet must approve to become government policy.

Question 2

Coordinates government work

Answer 2

The cabinet coordinates the government’s programme of legislation through parliament and prioritises legislation.

The cabinet decides when to introduce legislation into parliament.

The cabinet organises the weekly agenda in parliament, including addressing backbenchers’ problems and which ministers are due to speak in parliamentary debates.

Question 3

Limits prime minister’s power

Answer 3

If the prime minister loses the support of the cabinet they will lose their authority and risk being removed from their role.

Question 4

Emergencies

Answer 4

Cabinets must deal with emergencies and national crises by making quick decisions to address them.

Cabinet deals with domestic emergencies through the COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms) meeting.

The COBR meetings involve cabinet members coordinating the government’s response to cases of national crisis and emergency.

A COBR meeting was called following the suspected Russian poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury.