Executive + Cabinet

Question 1

PM powers

Answer 1

appoint ministers, direct gov policy, chair of the cabinet, set up, reorganise + abolish gov departments, exercise royal prerogative powers, international role

Question 2

what are royal prerogative powers

Answer 2

make treaties with other countries, head of civil service, deploy the military, patronage

Question 3

factors affecting the PM

Answer 3

media, events, opposition, popularity, cabinet + party, large majority

Question 4

PM powers over the cabinet

Answer 4

-call, chair and set the agenda for cabinet meetings
-establish cabinet committees
-hold bi-laterals
-collective responsibility used to silence ministers

Question 5

institutional support for the PM

Answer 5

large increase in personal to support the PM, use of special advisers

Question 6

limits on the PMs powers

Answer 6

requires cabinet support, threat of resignation is damaging, no formally structured PM department, powers of rival departments overshadows the size of the PMs office

Question 7

what is parliamentary privilege

Answer 7

within the walls of parliament, MPs are free to speak without fear of prosecution for slander

Question 8

how many days of the year do backbenchers get to choose topics for debate

Answer 8

35

Question 9

limits to backbenchers powers

Answer 9

whips (encourage backbenchers to vote with their party), resources (very few), majority (the larger the majority, the more MPs are needed to make the gov pay attention to them)

Question 10

factors that affect whether backbenchers will vote with their gov

Answer 10

ambition, keeping their seat, likes/dislikes with the PMs agenda

Question 11

cabinet ministers

Answer 11

approximately 25, each heads a gov department

Question 12

junior ministers

Answer 12

approximately 75-100, work under the cabinet ministers in gov departments

Question 13

role of the executive

Answer 13

proposing legislation, proposing a budget, running the country

Question 14

role of the cabinet

Answer 14

making formal decisions, coordinating gov policy, providing a forum, managing parliamentary committees, managing emergencies

Question 15

cabinet committees

Answer 15

a group of cabinet ministers designed to allow discussions and decisions to take place without the full cabinet

Question 16

why is the cabinet important

Answer 16

discusses the gov goals, sometimes makes key decisions, some ministers in charge of large departments, PM needs cabinet support, can overrule the PM, disputes can be dealt with out of the public eye, reconciles differences between coalition partners, deals with emergencies

Question 17

why is the cabinet not important

Answer 17

PM has powers of patronage over the cabinet, PMs prefer special advisers, collective responsibility, the cabinet meets for less time now, PMs decide on the number/nature of cabinet committees, a cabinet united behind a PM gives him enormous power

Question 18

how was the PMs patronage power constrained during the coalition gov

Answer 18

couldn’t appoint cabinet members himself, cameron + clegg had to consult on reshuffles + cabinet committee membership

Question 19

what were some positive impacts of the coalition

Answer 19

PM had to consult coalition partners on policy + cabinet business, the cabinet settled differences between coalition partners, PM had to consider both parties

Question 20

what did the quad do

Answer 20

iron out matters prior to cabinet meetings, decided on major matters of policy, similar to Blairs sofa gov, decisions handed down to other ministers to implement

Question 21

negatives of the coalition

Answer 21

Pm was more vulnerable to rebellions, increased activity from the lords, possibility of a coalition breakdown, PM had to consider backbench opinion

Question 22

positives of the coalition

Answer 22

gave the PM a solid majority, policies had additional authority- supported by 2 parties