Constitution Facts

Question 1

In what 6 places does the UK constitution originate?

Answer 1

• The Magna Carta (1215)
• The Bill of Rights (1689)
• The Act of Settlement (1701)
• The Acts of Union
• Parliament Acts
• The European Communities Act (1972)

Question 2

What are 5 sources of the UK constitution?

Answer 2

• Statute law
• Common law
• Conventions
• Authoritative works
• International treaties

Question 3

What are the 6 principles of UK constitution?

Answer 3

• Constitutional monarchy
• Unitary state
• EU membership
• Parliamentary sovereignty
• Rule of law
• Parliamentary government

Question 4

What are 3 principles of parliamentary sovereignty?

Answer 4

• They can legislate on anything, even themselves
• Parliament’s legislation cannot be overturned by any other institution of the state
• Parliament cannot bind its successors

Question 5

What are 4 principles of constitutional reform?

Answer 5

• Democratisation
• Devolution
• Protection of Rights
• Modernism

Question 6

What are 4 examples of failed constitutional reform under the coalition?

Answer 6

• House of Lords reform
• House of Commons boundary reform
• Electoral reform (referendum - alternative votes 2011)
• Abolition of the HRA with the intention of creating a British Bill of Rights

Question 7

What are 4 examples of Labour’s constitutional reform?

Answer 7

• Devolution (various acts 1998)
• Human Rights Act 1998
• House of Lords Reform Act 1999
• Constitutional Reform Act 2005

Question 8

What are 6 examples of the coalition’s constitutional reform?

Answer 8

• The Scotland Act 2012
• EVEL
• Protections of Freedoms Act 2012
• House of Lords Reform Act 2014
• House of Commons Reform Act 2010
• Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011

Question 9

Example of a recent Conservative constitutional reform?

Answer 9

The EU referendum leave outcome will lead to major constitutional reform.

Question 10

What is extradition?

Answer 10

The act of handing someone over to the judiciary of their legal country of origin because of a crime they have committed under a foreign judiciary.

Question 11

What did Theresa May announce in October 2012, about Gary McKinnon?

Answer 11

McKinnon who had hacked US military secrets, would not be handed over to the USA because of his mental state and fears that he may commit suicide.

Question 12

What is the 1998 Good Friday Agreement?

Answer 12

It was a 1998 act that devolved powers back to the Northern Ireland after they had been suspended in 1972.

Question 13

What 6 things does the Royal Prerogative include?

Answer 13

• Control of the army
• Conduct foreign policy and sign treaties
• Hire and fire government ministers
• Speak on behalf of the people to the media
• Nominate people for peerages
• Approve appointments of senior judges and Church of England Bishops

Question 14

What are the 8 reserved (not devolved) powers of Westminster?

Answer 14

• The constitution
• Defence and national security
• Foreign policy
• Immigration and citizenship
• Energy
• Social security (devolved to N. Ireland)
• Pensions
• Most forms of tax (some to Scotland)

Question 15

How much of its VAT revenue does Scotland have the power to control?

Answer 15

50%.

Question 16

How much will the Welsh Government be able to borrow each year as of April 2019?

Answer 16

£1bn for spending on building and infrastructure.

Question 17

What dd the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016 do?

Answer 17

It allowed for devolution to some of England’s towns, cities and counties, and the implementation of directly elected mayors.

Question 18

What is a unitary constitution?

Answer 18

A unified state under one government.

Question 19

What kind of laws does Parliament pass?

Answer 19

Statute laws.

Question 20

What is it called when a judge makes a law by taking a decision that is not set out by the current law?

Answer 20

Common law.

Question 21

What are authoritative works?

Answer 21

Works written by experts describing how a political system is run, they are not legally binding but are taken as significant guidelines.

Question 22

How is common law created?

Answer 22

By senior judges when they interpret, re-interpret or clarify constitutional rules.

Question 23

How many other modern liberal democracies have an uncodified constitution? (and what countries are they?)

Answer 23

2 others (New Zealand and Israel).

Question 24

When and by which PM and government was the European Communities Act passed?

Answer 24

Edward Heath’s Conservative government in 1972.

Question 25

When and by who was the Scottish Parliament set up?

Answer 25

Tony Blair in 1997.

Question 26

What was the Magna Carta?

Answer 26

An agreement between King John and the Barons, who were unhappy and rebelled due to the King’s abuse of his Royal Power, saying that no-one should be deprived of freedom without the due process of law.

Question 27

On what basis can many foreign nations extradite British citizens?

Answer 27

With ‘reasonable suspicion’.

Question 28

When and under what circumstances was the Extradition Act passed?

Answer 28

In 2003 in the aftermath of 9/11 and in the midst of the ‘War on Terror’, to extradite terrorist suspects.

Question 29

What power does the Welsh Assembly have as of January 2017?

Answer 29

The power to change its electoral system.

Question 30

What are the 3 principles of the Westminster model?

Answer 30

• Parliament is sovereign
• The legislative and executive are fused
• Executive power is centralised in Westminster