Retake revision

Question 1

What is an uncodified constitution

Answer 1

Not written down in one place

Question 2

What is an unentrenched constitution

Answer 2

Nothing to protect it from being changed

Question 3

What is a unitary constitution

Answer 3

The power is held in one place

Question 4

What is a flexible constitution

Answer 4

Easy to change

Question 5

What is an example of the constitution being flexible?

Answer 5

• Covid restrictions
• Firearms Act 1997

Question 6

What is a parliamentary statute?

Answer 6

An act of Parliament (law)

Question 7

What are conventions?

Answer 7

Unwritten traditions

Question 8

Name an example of a treaty

Answer 8

• When part of the EU, the UK became subject to the body of the European Laws and treaties
• Other treaties with international bodies

Question 9

What is common law?

Answer 9

Unwritten laws established through the courts over a long period of time

Question 10

What are historic documents / authoritative works?

Answer 10

Works of legal authority, which act as guides to the operation of the constitution

Question 11

What and when was the Scotland Act?

Answer 11

1998: Decentralised power from parliament in London to Scottish Parliament

Question 12

How many Scottish voted for devolution, and what was the turnout?

Answer 12

74% voted
60% turnout

Question 13

What powers do Scotland have thanks to devolution?

Answer 13

• Education
• Roads and public transport
• Policing
• To make criminal and civil law
• Power over local authority services
• Power to vary the rate of income tax up or down by 10p to the £
• Widened areas where scottish parliament can pass laws
• Regulating energy industry in Scotland
• Range of welfare services
• Half of the receipts from VAT collected in Scotland
• Some business tax
• Air passenger duty + control over its revenue

Question 14

What laws did Scotland pass as a result of devolution?

Answer 14

• First place in the UK to ban smoking in public spaces
• Scotland’s freedom of info act 2002
• Scotland didn’t introduce tuition fees for its residents
• In 2016, the Scottish government ended the right of council tenants to purchase houses they lived in.

Question 15

Scottish laws which differ to England

Answer 15

• You need to let someone use your toilet if they knock on your door
• Arson doesn’t exist. It’s called “wilful fire raising”
• Manslaughter doesn’t exist. It’s called “culpable homicide”

Question 16

What kind of devolution was Wales given and why?

Answer 16

Secondary devolution, because only 50% of the population voted.

Question 17

What does Northern Ireland have control over?

Answer 17

• The passage of laws not reserved to Westminster
• Education administration
• Healthcare
• Transport
• Policing
• Agriculture
• Sponsorship of arts

Question 18

Name a consequence of devolution in Scotland

Answer 18

Party domination (SNP) leading to power over legislation

Question 19

What is a backbencher?

Answer 19

MPs who are not part of the government or shadow cabinet.

Question 20

What is a front bencher?

Answer 20

Someone in the government or shadow cabinet.

Question 21

How long is a parliamentary session?

Answer 21

Spring to spring, 1 year long, with 5 in total

Question 22

Does the UK have fusion or separation of powers?

Answer 22

Fusion of powers

Question 23

What did the Parliament Act 1911 do?

Answer 23

Limited the Lords veto powers, allowing them to only delay primary legislation by 2 years.

Question 24

What did the Parliament Act 1949 do?

Answer 24

Limited the Lords veto powers, allowing them to only delay primary legislation by 1 years.

Question 25

What was the Salisbury convention

Answer 25

Constitutional convention whereby Lords cannot oppose a second or third reading of a governments manifesto promise

Question 26

What was the Life Peers Act of 1958?

Answer 26

Increased the ability of MPs to change the Lords make up. Also allowed women to be appointed and decreased the power of the monarch to appoint.

Question 27

What did the House of Lords Act 1999 do?

Answer 27

Decreased the number of hereditary peers to 92.

Question 28

What is the Sewel convention?

Answer 28

Government must ask before taking back powers from devolved nations.

Question 29

What are the functions of the commons?

Answer 29

• Legitimisation
• Legislation
• Scrutiny of legislation
• Constituency reputation
• Holding government to account
• National debates
• Representation of interests

Question 30

What are the functions of the Lords?

Answer 30

• Delaying
• Scrutiny of legislation
• National debate
• Scrutiny of secondary legislation

Question 31

What is primary legislation?

Answer 31

Important laws that need parliamentary approvalW

Question 32

What is secondary legislation?

Answer 32

More minor or specialised legislation that comes under existing legislation (also called statutory instruments)

Question 33

What committee scrutinises the Prime Minister and how many times a year does it meet?

Answer 33

Liaison committee - 3 times a year

Question 34

Who makes up the executive?

Answer 34

• Prime Minister
• Cabinet
• Treasury
• Departments

Question 35

What is the SEWELL convention?

Answer 35

Parliament must ask before taking devolved powers

Question 36

How many people are in the cabinet?

Answer 36

20-25 people

Question 37

Who can be found in the cabinet?

Answer 37

Health secretary, Foreign secretary, chief whip, prime minister

Question 38

What is it called when there is no majority party?

Answer 38

A hung parliament

Question 39

What is collective ministerial responsibility?

Answer 39

government ministers must resign if they disagree with government policy

Question 40

What is individual ministerial responsibility?

Answer 40

Ministers are accountable for their whole department, and if someone makes an error they must resign. - Changed to apologise by Johnson in May 2022