UK Government Flashcards
1
Q
Scotland Act 1998
A
Gave Primary powers and powers to vary tax by 3p per pound
2
Q
Scotland Act 2012
A
Vary tax by 10p and additional tax powers
3
Q
Scotland Act 2016
A
Extended transport, energy, social security benefits
income tax rate setting powers
receive proceeds of national VAT
4
Q
Wales Act 1998
A
Secondary Legislative powers
5
Q
Wales Act 2006
A
Additional Ref. on primary legislative powers
6
Q
Welsh Devolution Ref. 2011
A
Direct law making power in 20 areas, health, education etc.
7
Q
Wales Act 2014
A
Minor tax powers, ref on income tax varying powers
8
Q
Wales Act 2017
A
Reserved powers model, transport energy, tax varying powers by 10p without ref.
9
Q
The N.I Act 1998
A
Based on Belfast Agreement, transferred power to legislate on transferred matters
10
Q
St Andrew’s Agreement 2006
A
Renewed Devolution
11
Q
What was devolved to N.I in 2010
A
Police and Criminal Justice
12
Q
What Act devolved power to set corporation tax to N.I?
A
The Corporation Tax (N.I) Act 2015
13
Q
Key Historic documents the constitution is based on
A
Magna Carta 1215
Bill of Rights 1689
Act of Settlement 1701
Act of Union 1701
Parliament Acts 1911 and 1945
The European Communities Act 1972
14
Q
When was the Fixed Term Parliament Act passed?
A
2011
15
Q
When was the constitutional Reform Act passed, what did it do?
A
2005
Established supreme court
Separated role of Lord Chancellor into 3 roles
16
Q
Who by and when was the Alternative Reform of the Lords presented?
A
Committee ran by Lord Burns in 2017
17
Q
How much can Lords claim each day?
A
£300
18
Q
How many peers did Cameron create between 2010 and 2017?
A
295 peers
19
Q
What did the Alternative Reform on Lords suggest?
A
- Reduce size to 600 within 10 years, maintain until 2047
- New Peerages restricted to 15 year terms
- Political Peers in relation to election performance, taking seats and vote share into account
20
Q
How many times was May’s EU withdrawal bill defeated between April-June 2018
A
14 times
21
Q
How big was May’s working majority?
A
13 MPs
22
Q
Between 2010 -2015 what % of votes did MPs rebel in?
A
35%
23
Q
What recent conflicts has the commons debated?
A
Wars in Syria and Iraq as well as 2011 London Riots
24
Q
What happened following 2013 debate military action in Syria?
A
Cameron defeated 285 to 272
25
How long did the 2015 debate on air spikes in Syria last?
10 hours
26
When did Blair first lose a vote
2005
27
Burkean Idea
MPs decide what is best for constituents who put their trust in them
28
Delegate Model
MPs are a mouthpiece to constituents
29
The Doctrine of Mandate
MPs represent their party which was elected with a mandate on a manifesto
30
House of Commons
650 MPs
442 Men, 208 Women
52 Ethnic minority
31
House of Lords
791 Lords
676 life peers, 89 hereditary peers, 26 lord spirituals
585 men, 206 women
48 ethnic minority
32
How many times did the house of Lords defeat 2018 EU withdrawal bill?
14 times
33
How many times was article 50 defeated in the Lords in 2017?
twice
34
Between 2010 - 2015 how many times did the Lords vote against the gov?
48 times
35
Expertise in the Lords
Lord Hogan-Howe former chief of Police, Lord Walton former president of British Medical Association
36
Name an Act defeated in the Lords?
2012 Welfare reform Act
37
How many conservative MPs voted against/abstained in the vote on 2013 Marriage (same-sex couples) Act
136 voting against
40 abstaining
38
Parliament Act 1911 and 1945
Could only delay legislation by one year, no longer VETO
39
How many times does something have to be rejected to become ineffective?
3 times
40
How many amendments did the Lord's suggest for the 2012 Welfare Reform Act?
7 amendments
41
Name an act the Lord's delayed
2004 Fox Hunting Act
42
Salisbury Convention
Will not vote down anything in a mandate
43
Name an example of successful committee action
In 2010 Margaret Hodge, Public Accounts Committee chair, held Starbucks to account over tax paid in the UK
44
Backbench phrase
"would you like to step outside and say that?"
45
Backbench Business Committee
Formed in 2010
Able to choose topics of debate 45 days a year
46
How many urgent questions did Bercow and Martin grant?
Bercow (2009-2014) 150 urgent questions granted
Martin (2004-2009) less than 50
47
An example of a time the cabinet managed an emergency
2017 Westminster attacks
48
Example of cabinet committees
National Security Council
Home Affairs Committee
Economic Affairs Committee
Scotland Committee
Social Justice Committee
49
Name a key decision the cabinet made
Whether or not to hold a 2017 GE
50
Stages of a Bill
HC: First Reading
Second Reading and Vote
Committee Stage
Report Stage and Third Reading
HL: Process repeated
Then bill is given Royal Assent by Monarch and becomes law
51
Give an example of an MP resigning after breaking Collective Cabinet Responsibility
In August 2014 Baroness Warsi resigned from Cameron's gov over policy on the escalation of violence in Israel
52
Euro-sceptics and Euro-Enthusiasts in Blair's cabinet
Euro-Sceptics: Michael Portillo, Peter Lilley, John Redwood and Johnathan Aitken
Euro-Enthusiasts: Kenneth Clarke, Douglas Hurd, and Michael Heseltine.
53
Major split in May's cabinet
Chancellor Philip Hammond, Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnston.
By June 2018 both Davis and Johnston had resigned.
54
Why did May not resign in 2011?
Ministers responsible for all that happens in their Department
Lapses in border control. She argued civil servant Brodie Clark acted beyond guidelines she gave him.
55
Why did Amber Rudd resign as Home Secretary in 2018?
MPs must give accurate information to parliament
She mislead parliament over question of whether she knew about the targets to remove illegal immigrants.
56
Why did Estelle Morris resign, in what year?
PM decides how long a minister remains in office for.
In 2002 Estelle Morris resigned as Education Secretary after failing to meet targets on literacy and numeracy tests.
57
Why did Chris Huhne resign in 2012?
It was revealed he would face criminal charges for avoiding a speeding offence.
58
Why did Brooks Newmark resign in 2014?
It was reveled in a newspaper that he sent explicit images of himself to an undercover reporter.
59
Why was Peter Mandelson forced to resign?
An allegation he abused his position to give the Hinduja brother's passports. The PM told him he had to resign without waiting to see how serous allegations were.
60
Who made up 'The Quad'?
David Cameron (PM), George Osborne (Chancellor), Nick Clegg (Deputy PM) and Danny Alexander (chief sec to the Treasury)
61
What was the role of 'The Quad'?
iron out contentious matters prior to cabinet meetings.
62
What did Clegg say about Osborne and Alexander's relationship?
Complained Alexander's head had been taken over by Treasury Officials
63
Constitutional Reform Act 2005
Changed the role of Lord Chancellor, removing him from the head of Judiciary and House of Lords speakership.
Independent Supreme Court
Established the Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC) this vets appointments of senior judicial posts.
64
Who is the President of the Supreme Court, when were they elected?
Lady Hale, elected in 2017
65
When do Judges in the Supreme Court retire?
70 if appointed after 1995, or otherwise 75.
66
When do Judges in the Supreme Court retire?
70 if appointed after 1995, or otherwise 75.
67
Diversity in the Supreme Court
2 women (inc. president) 11 men
All white
All old
68
Diversity in the Court of Appeal and High Court in 2017
1/4 in Court of Appeal and 1/5 in high court female
Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority judges well below 1/10
Also a drop in % of non-white barristers, go on to become judges
69
R v Horncastle (2009)
Focus: Use of Hearsay documents from absent witnesses who are not under oath have long been excepted in British Courts
The Case: Clash between UK courts and ECHR, which ruled if a person was convicted on the strength of Hearsay evidence, their right to humans rights were being infringed.
The Decision: The ECHR altered its decision. Lord Neuberger said this showed 'there can be genuine, civilized and constructive dialogue between the UK courts and ECHR.
70
Al Rawi v Security Service (2011)
The Focus: raised the conflict between human rights and National Security
The Case: Some inmates in US-run prisons wanted to bring claims against the UK security service for contributing to mistreatment while in detention. UK security service wanted to give evidence in Secret to preserve national security, however prosecution would then not be able to see evidence against them.
The Decision: Supreme Court decided this 'simply was not possible'
71
Why did Cameron resign in 2016?
Ministers responsible for all that happens in their Department
Failed remain campaign
72
Why did some call for Hunt to resign in 2012?
MPs should give accurate information to parliament
Jeremy Hunt remained Culture Secretary
in 2012, when it was suggested his closeness to Murdoch made him biased.
73
What controversy happened in 2012 whilst May was Home Secretary?
May remained Home Secretary in 2012 despite the confusion around Abu Qatada's deportation to Jordan.
74
What two ideas does a Liberal Democracy combine?
Liberalism and Democracy
75
What are entrenched laws?
Laws which are purposely made difficult to amend
76
What does fundamental/Higher law mean?
All other laws must be compatible
77
What is the aim of a Bill of Rights?
Protect people from other people - safeguard individual rights
78
What does Uncodified mean?
Not in one written document
79
In the uk what is sovereign?
Parliament
80
Which countries around the world have an uncodified constitution?
UK
Israel
New Zealand
81
What caused America to adopt a codified constitution? In which year?
Revolutionary War 1775-83
Constitution 1787
82
What caused Germany to adopt a codified constitution? In which year?
Nazi surrender 1945
Constitution 1949
83
What caused Iraq to adopt a codified constitution? In which year?
Iraqi govt. collapse after 2003 invasion
Constitution 2005
84
What is Divine Right?
From God
85
What is Royal Prerogative?
Power and authority belonging directly to a monarch
86
When was the Feudal System introduced?
1066
87
Who did the Monarch take advice from previously?
Tenants-in-Chiefs (landowners)
Ecclesiastics (priests)
88
In which year was the Assize of Clarendon? What did this do?
1166 - Henry VIII
Judges to travel around circuits to enforce laws made by judges in Westminster - less local variation
89
What did the Assize of Clarendon create?
Common Law
90
When and what was the Magna Carta?
1215 - King John
He agreed to significant limits on this royal prerogative
91
Which 3 clauses of the Magna Carta are often still used?
39, 40, 45
92
What is the Rule of Law?
No one is above the law - not even the king
93
Which law during King James I's reign saw some limits imposed on prerogative power?
The case of Proclamations (1610)
94
What and when was the Five Knight's Case?
Charles I imprisoned those who didn't pay "forces loans" after parliament refused to fund war with France.
He also imposed 'Martial Law' - soldiers being housed in civilian homes
95
What was the impact of the Five Knight's Case?
Petition of Rights 1628 - no taxes levied without parliaments consent, habeas corpus imposed, no marital law during peace time, soldiers not to be housed in civilian homes
Parliament not used for 11 years
96
When was the English Civil War?
1642-51
97
Following the Civil war 2 codified constitutions were introduced, what where their names and which year were they brought in?
Instrument of Government 1653
Humble Petition and Advise 1657
98
In which year was the restoration of the monarchy?
1660
99
When and what was the Glorious Revolution?
1688-89
King James II removed by William of Orange
100
What did the Glorious Revolution lead to?
Bill of Rights (1689)
Parliament now sovereign
