The UK Government Flashcards
What kind of government is the UK?
A parliamentary democracy
Who is the head of state?
The monarch
Name all parts of the central UK government.
They are also called what?
- The Monarch
- Parliament (both the commons and the lords)
- The Prime Minister
- The Cabinet
- The Judiciary
- The Police
- The Civil Service
- Local government
- constitutional institutions
What is a devolved government? Where does it exist?
- A government with its own legislature and executives
- Wales, Scotland, and N. Ireland
What kind of constitution does the UK have?
An unwritten one
How many members does Scottish Parliament have?
129
What is the Welsh Assembly (own government called?)
The Senedd
What kind of election system does the central UK parliament have?
First past the post
Which way should the civil service lean?
They must be impartial
Up until _____ people who were _____ _____ had automatic seats in the House of Lords
- 1999
- Hereditary Peers
Which 3 groups exclusively sat in the House of Lords up until 1958?
- Hereditary Peers
- Senior Judges
- CoE bishops
Who CANNOT run to be an MP?
- Members of the Civil Service
- Anyone in the armed forces
- People convicted of certain crimes
What are the roles of the speaker of the house?
How are they elected?
- Make sure order is kept
- Represent parliament in ceremonial occasions
- ensure the opposition has fair time to speak
- By a secret ballot of MPs
What are the speaker’s political duties?
- To still represent the people in their constituency
- To otherwise be politically neutral
What is campaigning during elections called?
Canvassing
- What type of person can be a magistrate?
- How much are they paid?
- Which countries have magistrates?
- A member of the local community
- They are unpaid
- They are in England, Wales, and N. Ireland
Which groups try to influence political parties?
- Pressure Groups
- Lobbying Groups
Who can override who when it comes to the House of Commons vs House of Lords?
The Commons can override the Lords
In what ways can Life Peers be chosen?
- By the monarch on recommendation of the PM
- by members of other political parties
- By an independent appointments commission for non-party peers
(⬆️potential peers who are not connected a certain political party)
- How many people are in the PM’s cabinet?
- What kind of MPs are they?
- Approx 20
- Senior MPs
What cabinet member looks after law & order?
Home Secretary
Which Cabinet member looks after money & finance?
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Which cabinet member looks after international affairs?
The foreign secretary
How often does the cabinet meet?
Once a week
What are the other less prominent members of the cabinet called (I.e. person who leads education etc)?
Secretaries of State
What are the titles of people under the Secretaries of State
- Ministers of state
- Parliamentary under-secretaries of state
What is the attraction of independent MPs for voters?
They tend to represent an important issue in their constituency
What are the core values of the civil service?
- Integrity
- Honesty
- Objectively
- Impartiality
What funds local authorities?
- Central Government
- Local taxes
When and how often are elections for local authorities held
Once a year in May
What are the values of the civil service?
- Impartiality
- objectivity
- honesty
- integrity
How often are elections held for the Senedd?
Every 4 years
Which country had the first devolved government? In what year was it formed?
N Ireland, 1922
Why and when was the N I assembly dissolved the first time?
Shortly after the troubles began; 1972
How many members are in the Senedd?
60
How many members are there in the N Ireland assembly?
90
What style of representation do they have for the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland?
Proportional representation
Each devolved government has its own ______ _______ workers
Civil Service
True or false - devolved governments can make laws and regulations completely independent of the UK Parliament
True (not all, but some)
How often and when are elections for most local government positions?
- Every year
- May
When it comes to politics, what must TV and radio do by law?
Give equal time to opposing views
What are members of the Irish Assembly called?
- MLAs
- Members of Legislative Assembly
How do you register to vote in the UK, except NI?
How often does this happen?
- You get mailed an electoral register form, which you must fill out with everyone eligible to vote in the household.
- This happens every year
How do you register to vote in N Ireland? How often must you do it?
You must complete an individual registration form if eligible to vote
No need to renew unless your personal details change
What is registering to vote called in N Ireland?
Individual registration
How do you find out where and when to vote?
You will get a poll card in the mail
What do you need when you show up at the voting station?
- everywhere except N Ireland, you just give them your name and address
- in N Ireland, you need your photo ID too
Where do N Ireland assembly members meet?
Stormont in Belfast
- What are PCSO’s?
- What do they do day-to-day?
- Police Community Support Officers
- Patrol streets, work with public, support police officers at crime scenes and at major events
What are the roles of the police?
- Protect life and property
- Prevent disturbances/keep the peace
- prevent and detect crime
How long can you drive on a foreign licence?
12 months
What does DVLA strand for?
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
What month and year was the Scottish Parliament building opened?
October 2004
When did the Senedd building open?
March 2006
How many things does the Senedd have authority over?
21
Who do you contact if you want to visit the Stormont?
The Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service
Who do you contact if you want to visit Holyrood?
Visitor Services
Who do you contact if you want to visit the Senedd?
Senedd Booking Services
What are members of the Senedd called?
SMs/(“member of the Senedd”)
Proceedings in parliament can be read in ______
Hansard
True or False: The Senedd has the power to pass laws on economics.
TRUE. The Senedd can pass laws on economic development.
True or False: Scottish Parliament can make changes to laws, both criminal and civil.
True
True or False: the Scottish Parliament can raise the cost of taxes
TRUE
