facts test 3

Question 1

What is the proper term for parliament?

Answer 1

legislature

Question 2

What is the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty?

Answer 2

Parliament is the highest legal authority in the UK

Question 3

Give two reasons why parliamentary sovereignty has come under pressure in recent years.

Answer 3

Devolution, referendums, HRA, EU

Question 4

Which year had the highest number of government bills presented to parliament?

Answer 4

2005-6

Question 5

Why did the 2009-10 parliament have the lowest number of bills presented to it by the government?

Answer 5

last year of labour rule

Question 6

What is another word for an Act of Parliament?

Answer 6

a law or statue

Question 7

What is a bill?

Answer 7

A proposal for a new law

Question 8

What is a green paper?

Answer 8

A government document setting out various options for legislation

Question 9

What is a white paper?

Answer 9

Sets out a detailed proposal for legislation

Question 10

What is a public bill?

Answer 10

Concerns general issue of public policy introduced by a government minister

Question 11

How many public bills are introduced in each session?

Answer 11

25-30

Question 12

What is included in the Queen’s Speech?

Answer 12

The governments legislative programme

Question 13

Which body scrutinises a draft bill?

Answer 13

A relevant select commitee

Question 14

What new initiative was introduced by the coalition government to increase scrutiny of legislation?

Answer 14

a public reading stage

Question 15

List the 6 stages a (general) bill goes through in the House of Commons?

Answer 15

First reading, second reading, committee, report, third reading, house of lords stage.

Question 16

What process is applied after the 6 stages have happened?

Answer 16

consideration of amendments

Question 17

What does a committee of the whole house do?

Answer 17

Full house of commons considers the committee stage of a public bill

Question 18

What does the term EVEL stand for and what does it mean?

Answer 18

English Votes for English Laws – if a bill only affects England then only English MPs can vote for it

Question 19

What are the 3 routes that private members’ bills can take?

Answer 19

Ballot, Ten minute Rule Bill, Presentation

Question 20

Give one reason why the number of private member’s bills have declined since 1997?

Answer 20

Government want more control over legislation, large majorities in parliament = control

Question 21

What does the term secondary legislation mean?

Answer 21

option for government ministers to make laws through the use of a statutory instrument

Question 22

Why is the UK Parliament a policy-influencing legislature?

Answer 22

Because parliament can only modify or reject legislative proposals/develop its own legislation on a large scale

Question 23

Give 2 reasons why Parliament is dominated by the government of the day.

Answer 23

Government bills in the majority, parliamentary timetable controlled , whip system