Parliament: Key Words Flashcards
Legislature
The branch of government responsible for passing laws.
Parliament
An assembly that has the power to debate and make laws.
Head of State
The chief public representative of a country, such as a monarch or president.
The Westminster model
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
Bicameralism
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
Parliamentary Sovereignty
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.
Motion of no confidence
A parliamentary motion which, if passed requires the resignation of the government
Frontbencher
An MP who holds a ministerial or shadow ministerial position
Backbencher
An MP who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position
Division
A vote in parliament
Whip
(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
Peer
A member of the House of Lords
Bill
A legislative
Act
A legislative proposal that has completed the parliamentary legislative process and entered into law
Public Bill
A bill concerning a general issue of public policy, introduced by a government minister
Green Paper
A government document setting out various options for legislation and inviting comment
White paper
A government document setting out a detailed proposal for legislation
Committee of the Whole House
A meeting held in the chamber in which the full House of Commons considers the committee stage of a public bill
Private member’s bill
A bill sponsored by a backbench MP
Secondary legislation
Law made by ministers, who have been granted this authority by an Act of parliament, rather than by parliament
Parliamentary Rebellion
Division in which MPs vote against their party whip
Consolidated Fund
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
Senior judiciary
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
Secret Soundings
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.
Qualifying Practitioner
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
Ultra Vires
‘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
Rights
Legal or moral entitlements to have something or behave in a particular way
Hansard
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.
Urgent Questions
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.
Accountability
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.
Select Committees
(Departmental) were created in 1979 to scrutinise the policy, administration and expenditure of government departments. There were 19 departmental select committees in 2013.
