UK Parliament Flashcards
What are MPs or Lords who do not hold any government office called?
Backbenchers
What is the stage where a Bill is considered line-by-line after its second reading?
Committee stage
What are the rights to remove the government and to grant or withhold funding called?
Confidence and supply
What do you call members of the House of Lords who have no party allegiance?
Crossbenchers
What branch of government is responsible for the implementation of laws and day-to-day running of the country?
(The) executive
What is an MP who holds a ministerial position in the government or shadow cabinet called?
Front bench
What is it called when the legislative and executive branches of government are joined together?
Fusion of powers
Who is the leading representative of a state that embodies the state’s power and authority?
Head of state
What are members of the House of Lords whose title is inherited called?
Hereditary Peers
What is the primary chamber of the UK legislature, directly elected by voters?
House of Commons
What is the second chamber of the UK legislature, not directly elected by voters?
House of Lords
What are proposed laws passing through Parliament called?
Legislative bills
What is the law-making body in a state, specifically in the UK?
Legislature
Who are nominated by the Prime Minister and are eligible to sit and vote in the House of Lords for their lifetime?
Life peers
What are the 26 Bishops and Archbishops of the Church of England who sit in the House of Lords called?
Lords Spiritual
What is it called when members of the government have to face questions in the House of Commons?
Minister’s questions
What is a government formed by a political party that does not have an overall majority of MPs in the House of Commons called?
Minority government
What is a bill that contains significant financial measures called?
Money Bill
What is the second largest party in parliament that is given extra privileges in debates called?
Official opposition
Who are the MPs and Lords who are not members of the governing party or parties?
Opposition
What is the agreement between a government and opposition MP to not vote on an issue called?
Pairing
What is the British legislature made up of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch called?
Parliament
What is the right of MPs or Lords to make certain statements within Parliament without outside influence called?
Parliamentary privilege
What is the close examination and investigation of government policies, actions, and spending called?
Parliamentary Scrutiny
What term is used to describe members of the House of Lords?
Peers
Since 2000, how many peers have been appointed via individual recommendations?
70 peers
What refers to the to and fro of amendments to Bills between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
Ping Pong
What are bills introduced by individual MPs or members of the Lords rather than by the Government called?
Private members bill
What are committees responsible for looking at bills in detail called?
Public bill committees
What is the stage of a Bill after its Committee Stage where the whole House reviews the amended form?
Report Stage
What is the convention whereby the House of Lords does not delay or block legislation included in a government’s manifesto?
Salisbury Convention
What committee is responsible for scrutinising the work of government, particularly individual departments?
Select committees
What is it called when the judiciary, executive, and legislative are all separate?
Separation of powers
What is an MP elected by other MPs to act as Chair during debates in the House of Commons called?
Speaker
What does it mean to vote with your party, even if you disagree with them on the issue?
Toe the party line
What is a motion in the House of Commons on whether MPs support the current government called?
Vote of confidence
Who are members of parliament responsible for the smooth running of the parliamentary party?
Whips
