EXTRA-Constitutional Change

Question 1

Who has the oldest version of the constitution dating at 1874

Answer 1

the Swiss

Question 2

More than how many constitutions have been drawn up since WW2?

Answer 2

more than 2/3rds

Question 3

From what decade have many thinkers and writers began to urge the cause of ‘constitutional reform’’?

Answer 3

from the 1960’s

Question 4

What are Quango’s?

Answer 4

They are publicly funded bodies that operate at arms length from a government department and carry out executive and advisory functions. Their members are not elected and therefore are not accountable to the voters

Question 5

In 2010 how many Quangos did the Cabinet Office say there was?

Answer 5

742

Question 6

What groups said that there was actually 1148 quangos?

Answer 6

the Taxpayers Alliance

Question 7

What did the Taxpayers alliance reveal about Quango’s in 2010?

Answer 7

TPA issued a manifesto that highlighted the presence of 1,148 quangos spending £90 billion a year.

Question 8

After what year were some academics worried about the increasing centralisation of government under the Conservatives?

Answer 8

1979

Question 9

What 3 things could people see occurring after 1979 with the increasing centralisation of government?

Answer 9

1) the erosion of the functions and powers of local government
2) increased number of quangos
3) limitations on human rights

Question 10

Who felt that the balance of the constitution had been undermined by the era of Conservative rule (1979-1990)?

Answer 10

radical reformers who wanted to see a fundamental change

Question 11

Who were Charter 88?

Answer 11

This is a campaigning pressure group set up 300 years after the Glorious Revolution to urge the case for constitutional and electoral reform.

Question 12

Who is an example of a moderate reformer who conceded that there was no need for change, but only to ‘strengthen the existing framework, not destroy it’.

Answer 12

Philip Norton

Question 13

What did Philip Norton say in regards to constitutional change?

Answer 13

that there was no need for change, but only to ‘strengthen the existing framework, not destroy it’

Question 14

What did moderate reformer Philip Norton suggest in terms of constitutional change?

Answer 14

• strengthening of parliament
• abolition or reduction of quangos
• devolving more power to citizens at a local level

Question 15

What did the Conservatives believe in their 1997 manifesto about the radical changes proposed by reformers?

Answer 15

They thought that this would endanger the character of our constitutional balance

Question 16

What 3 names did Labour call the Conservative government in the 1997 election?

Answer 16

centralised
inefficient
bureaucratic

Question 17

What are the 4 main constitutional reforms under Labour 1997+

Answer 17

• removal of hereditary peers
• passing of the Human Rights Act 1998
• Creation of devolved machinery in Scotland and Wals
• Constitutional Reform Act 2005

Question 18

What are 5 other constitutional reforms until Laboru 1997?

Answer 18

• the Freedoms of Information Act
• Creation of the office of an elected London Mayor
• Use of proportional representation for elections to devolved bodies in UK, EU parliament and London Assembly
• Changes to modernise HOC such as reasonable hours
• The principle of referendums to determine constitutional change

Question 19

What was the Freedom of Information Act 2005?

Answer 19

citizens have been given a right to view information held about them and much internal detail relating to the work of government has been made accessible