Parliament: Key Words

Question 0

Legislature

Answer 0

The branch of government responsible for passing laws.

Question 1

Parliament

Answer 1

An assembly that has the power to debate and make laws.

Question 2

Head of State

Answer 2

The chief public representative of a country, such as a monarch or president.

Question 3

The Westminster model

Answer 3

The traditional way of understanding the British politic system, focusing on the constitution and major institutions and claims that it is ideal.
Key Features: Head of State, unitary state, cabinet government, FPTP, two-party system, parliamentary sovereignty and uncodified constitutions

Question 4

Bicameralism

Answer 4

A political system with two chambers in the legislature.
Lower house usually elected and dominant
Upper house maybe elected or indirectly elected or hybrid or both.
- Provides balances and checks
- allows greater scrutiny, different interests
- legislative gridlock

Question 5

Parliamentary Sovereignty

Answer 5

The doctrine that parliament has absolute legal authority within the state. Parliament can make law on any matter it chooses, it’s decisions may not be overturned by any higher authority and it may not bind its successors.
EU and devolution raises questions.

Question 6

Motion of no confidence

Answer 6

A parliamentary motion which, if passed requires the resignation of the government

Question 7

Frontbencher

Answer 7

An MP who holds a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Question 8

Backbencher

Answer 8

An MP who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Question 9

Division

Answer 9

A vote in parliament

Question 10

Whip

Answer 10

(A) A party official responsible for ensuring that MPs turn up to parliamentary votes and follows party instructions on how to vote
(B) an instruction to vote that is issued to MPs by political parties

Question 11

Peer

Answer 11

A member of the House of Lords

Question 12

Bill

Answer 12

A legislative

Question 13

Act

Answer 13

A legislative proposal that has completed the parliamentary legislative process and entered into law

Question 14

Public Bill

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Green Paper

Answer 15

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

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 full House of Commons considers the committee stage of a public bill

Question 18

Private member’s bill

Answer 18

A bill sponsored by a backbench MP

Question 19

Secondary legislation

Answer 19

Law made by ministers, who have been granted this authority by an Act of parliament, rather than by parliament

Question 20

Parliamentary Rebellion

Answer 20

Division in which MPs vote against their party whip

Question 21

Consolidated Fund

Answer 21

A government bank account used to pay the salaries of judges and certain other officials. Judges’ salaries are classified as ‘standing services’ and are therefore paid from fund automatically. As they are not part of the regular budgetary planning process politicians are unable to manipulate judge’s salaries as a way of controlling them

Question 22

Senior judiciary

Answer 22

Compromises the justices of the Supreme Court (formerly Law lords); heads of divisions; Lord justices of Appeal; High Court judges; and deputy High Court of judges

Question 23

Secret Soundings

Answer 23

The informal and secretive way in which UK judges were appointed. The phrase describes the way in which The Lord Chancellor consulted in secret with associates and those already serving in the senior Judicary. It resulted in a lack of Transparency in appointments led to accusations of elitism.

Question 24

Qualifying Practitioner

Answer 24

Someone who has a senior courts qualification; is an advocate in Scotland or a solicitor entitled to appear in the Scottish court of Session and the high court of justiciary; or is a member of the bar of Northern Ireland or a solicitor of the court of judicature of Northern Ireland

Question 25

Ultra Vires

Answer 25

‘Beyond the authority’ - The process of judicial can be used to determine whether or not a minister or other government officer has acted Ultra Vires; that is beyond the authority granted to them in law

Question 26

Rights

Answer 26

Legal or moral entitlements to have something or behave in a particular way

Question 27

Hansard

Answer 27

A verbatim document of the proceedings in the House of Commons and Lords. All stages/debates are document on the Hansard which can be seen online.

Question 28

Urgent Questions

Answer 28

If something has happened which an MP believes requires an immediate answer from a Government Minister, they may apply to ask an urgent question.

If the Speaker (or in the House of Lords the Lord Speaker) agrees that the matter is urgent and important, the question will be asked at the end of question time.

Question 29

Accountability

Answer 29

The principle that an office holder or institution must account for their actions. Ministers are accountable to the electorate, they have a duty to explain their policies and actions. MPs are also held accountable at general elections.

Question 30

Select Committees

Answer 30

(Departmental) were created in 1979 to scrutinise the policy, administration and expenditure of government departments. There were 19 departmental select committees in 2013.