Parliament

Question 1

Backbencher

Answer 1

An MP of member of the House of Lords who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position.

Question 2

Frontbencher

Answer 2

An MP or member of the Lords who holds a ministerial or shadow ministerial position.

Question 3

Parliamentary privilege

Answer 3

Legal immunity enjoyed by members of parliament, particularly their right to free speech in parliament.

Question 4

Division

Answer 4

A vote in parliament.

Question 5

Whip

Answer 5

A. A party official responsible for ensuring that MPs turn up to parliamentary votes and follow party instructions on how to vote.
B. An instruction to vote that is issued to MPs by political parties.

Question 6

Hereditary peer

Answer 6

A member of the House of Lords who, since 1999 has been selected from those who inherited their title.

Question 7

Life peer

Answer 7

A member of the House of Lords who has been appointed to the chamber for their lifetime.

Question 8

Peer

Answer 8

A member of the House of Lords

Question 9

Confidence and supply

Answer 9

The requirement that the government must be able to command a majority in the House of Commons on votes of confidence and of supply, e.g. the budget. Also used to refer to an agreement between the governing party and a smaller party in which the latter agrees to support the government on key votes in return for policy concessions.

Question 10

Confidence motion

Answer 10

A motion of confidence in the government. It may be initiated by the government as a threat of dissolution, or used to approve the formation of a new government under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, 2011.

Question 11

Motion of no confidence

Answer 11

A parliamentary censure motion initiated by the opposition which, if passed, requires the resignation of the government.

Question 12

Salisbury doctrine

Answer 12

The convention that the House of Lords does not block or try to wreck legislation that was promised in the manifesto of the governing party.

Question 13

Bill

Answer 13

A proposal for a new law, or change to a current law, that has yet to complete the parliamentary legislative process.

Question 14

Green paper

Answer 14

A government document setting out various options for legislation and inviting comment.

Question 15

Public bill

Answer 15

A bill concerning general issue of public policy, introduced by a government minister.

Question 16

White paper

Answer 16

A government document setting out a detailed proposal for legislation.

Question 17

Committee of the Whole House

Answer 17

A meeting held in the chamber in which the whole House of Commons considers the committee stage of a public bill.

Question 18

Public bill committee

Answer 18

A committee responsible for the detailed consideration of a bill.

Question 19

Private members’ bill

Answer 19

A bill sponsored by a backbench MP.

Question 20

Secondary legislation

Answer 20

A law made by ministers, who have been granted this authority by an Act of Parliament, rather than made by parliament.

Question 21

Accountability

Answer 21

Principle that an office holder or institution must account for their actions. In a system of parliamentary government, ministers are accountable to parliament and to the electorate. They have a duty to explain their policies and actions to parliament. Ministers may also be held responsible for policy failures. MPs face the electorate at a general election, where their constituents may take into account their record in office when deciding whether to vote for them.

Question 22

Parliamentary scrutiny

Answer 22

The role of parliament in examining the policies and work off the executive, and holding it to account.

Question 23

Questiontime

Answer 23

Parliamentary time, including Prime Minister’s question time in which backbencher and opposition frontbenchers ask oral questions to government ministers.

Question 24

The opposition

Answer 24

The largest party in the House of Commons that is not in government.

Question 25

Opposition

Answer 25

Parties, MPs and peers who are not members of the governing party or parties.

Question 26

Select committee

Answer 26

A committee responsible for scrutinising the work of a government, notably of a particular government department.

Question 27

Delegate

Answer 27

An individual authorised to act on behalf of others but who is bound by clear instructions.

Question 28

Representation

Answer 28

Process by which an individual or individuals act on behalf of a larger group.

Question 29

Representative

Answer 29

A-an individual who acts on behalf of a larger group but is free to exercise their own judgement.
B-exhibiting a likeness or being typical

Question 30

Trustee

Answer 30

An individual who has formal responsibility for the interests of another.

Question 31

Constituency

Answer 31

A geographical territory for which one or more respresentatives are chosen in an election.

Question 32

Parliamentary rebellion

Answer 32

A division in which MPs vote against their party whip.