Parliament Definitions Flashcards
Parliament
The British legislature made up of the House of Commons, House of Lords and the monarch
House of Commons
The primary chamber of the UK legislature, directly elected by voters
House of Lords
The second chamber of the UK legislature, not directly elected by voters
Confidence and supply
The right to remove the government and to grant or withhold funding, also used to describe a type of informal coalition agreement where the minority partner agrees to provide these things in exchange for policy concessions
Salisbury Convention
The convention whereby the House of Lords do not delay or block legislation that was included in a government’s manifesto
Parliamentary privilege
The right of MPs or Lords to make certain statements within Parliament without being subject to outside influence, including law
Legislative bills
Proposed laws passing through Parliament
Public bill committees
Committees responsible for looking into bills at detail
Select committees
Committees responsible for scrutinising the work of government, particularly of individual government departments
Backbenchers
MPs or Lords who do not hold any government office
Executive Dictatorship
PM overusing prerogative powers in non-emergency, domestic issues
Royal Assent
Monarch signs every bill passed by Parliament to make it a law, by convention
Opposition
The main opposition party to the government, the second largest party in power, whose job is to oppose and scrutinise work of the government
Bills
A piece of legislation that has not yet been made into a law
Government
The party that holds the majority (or coalition) in the House of Commons and therefore runs the country
