The Government

Question 1

Election members of the Cabinet

Answer 1

Chosent by the PM

Question 2

Election of the PM

Answer 2

elected by MPs

Question 3

Current Chancellor of the Exchequer

Answer 3

Jeremy Hunt

Question 4

Current leader of the HOC

Answer 4

Penny Mordaunt

Question 5

the PM’s power

Answer 5

• Together with the Chancellor of the Exchequer only, the PM decides on the budget. (Oct. Chancellor took a decision on the budget without the PM)
• The PM summons the Cabinet and presides over the meetings of the Cabinet (weekly) and overall policy.
• Together with the Cabinet, the PM determines:
  ▸ The bills to be submitted to Parliament and the parliamentary agenda
  ▸ Britain’s foreign policy
  ▸ The budget of each ministry
  ▸ The list of honour, ambassadors and bishops - later approved of by the monarch

Question 6

the Cabinet composition

Answer 6

• Composed of about 20 people who are each in charge of specific areas of British social and economic life.
• Composed of: the Prime Minister, Secretaries of State
  such as:
  The Home Office (ministre de l’intérieur)
  The Foreign Office
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer
  The Department of Education
  The Health Ministry
  The Department of Trade and Industry
  Etc.

Question 7

the roles of the Cabinet

Answer 7

• It supports the Prime Minister: to define and deliver the Government’s objectives
• It supports the Cabinet: to drive the coherence, quality and delivery of policy and operations across departments
• It strengthens the Civil Service (Whitehall): to ensure the civil service is organised effectively and has the capability in terms of skills, values and leadership to deliver the Government’s objectives.

Question 8

Whitehall

Answer 8

• non-political body of 50,000 top civil servants in London. -c. 100 who help the Cabinet directly = the Cabinet Office.
• Implements the decisions taken by the government once they have been approved by Parliament.
• Researches the points raised by the Parliament during Question Time for the Cabinet.

Whitehall is known for its discretion, its (slow-moving) competence and its elitism. They are the hidden face of the Establishment.

Question 9

The Cabinet office role

Answer 9

The Cabinet office helps the Cabinet:

• The c. 100 members of the Cabinet Office sit at the very centre of government and, together with the Treasury, provide the “head office” of government.
• The Cabinet Office has an overarching purpose of making government work better.