Unit 2

Question 1

-What is the role of the cabinet?

Answer 1

• Formalise/legitimise government policy
• Deal with disputes
• Deal with crisis/emergency situations
• Where presentation of policy is presented
• Business or parliament aligned with whips

Question 2

What is collective cabinet responsibility?

Answer 2

• All members of government are collectively responsible for all government decisions and policies
• Ministers that break CCR expected to resign or be dismissed

Question 3

How could the HOL be reformed?

Answer 3

• Abolition
• All appointed
• Fully elected
• Mixed elected and appointed

Question 4

What are benefits of abolishing the HOL?

Answer 4

• Saves money
• Streamlines process
• Removes government obstructions

Question 5

What are benefits/drawbacks of appointing all the HOL?

Answer 5

+Knowledgeable people in politics
+More independent body
-Patronage in hands of government

Question 6

What are the benefits of a fully elected HOL?

Answer 6

• Most democratic option
• Members fully accountable
• House has more authority
• If PR, reflects party’s strengths

Question 7

What can be said about the representation of the HOL?

Answer 7

+Lords arguably more representative than commons as many groups represented
-Unelected so arguably representative of noone

Question 8

What are the functions of parliament?

Answer 8

• Legislation
• Scrutiny
• Accountability
• Representation
• Rights protection
• Redress of greivances
• Debate

Question 9

What are some benefits/drawbacks of HOL public bill committees?

Answer 9

+many members have specialist knowledge and expertise
+Relatively independent. free of party control
-Amendments can be overturned

Question 10

What are some benefits/drawbacks of parliamentary committees?

Answer 10

\+act independently
\+Respected by policymakers
\+Can call ministers, civil servants, outsiders as witnesses in hearings 
-relatively little research backup
-cannot enforce their recommendations 
-Sometimes put under pressure by whips

Question 11

What are some benefits of the HOC public accounts committee?

Answer 11

• Chair is opposition MP

- Highly respected by policy makers

Question 12

What are some benefits/drawbacks of HOC legislative committees?

Answer 12

+They can examine legislation in detail

• Nearly always divided on party lines
• Lack research back up

Question 13

What are some sources of the PM’s power?

Answer 13

• Prerogative powers
• Leader of governing party
• Has some elective authority
• Enjoys authority of parliament

Question 14

What are the PM’s prerogative powers?

Answer 14

• Command and direct armed forces
• Conduct foreign policy negotiations
• Sign treaties
• Appoint/dismiss govt ministers
• Nominate for peerages
• Speak on behalf of nation

Question 15

What are some factors in the government’s favour vs the HOC?

Answer 15

• Govt. normally has a majority
• Patronage an important factor
• Govt. whips can make MPs support the government

Question 16

What are some factors in favour of the HOC against the government?

Answer 16

• Commons can vote against government
• Select committees tend to act independently to government
• Govt must be accountable to HOC

Question 17

What is the rule of law?

Answer 17

• All are equal under law
• All are entitled to a fair trial if accused of a crime
• The government is subject to laws and cannot exceed them

Question 18

What is parliamentary sovereignty?

Answer 18

Political principle where legal sovereignty resides in the national parliament, and isn’t shared with another body

Question 19

What is political sovereignty?

Answer 19

Where actual, practical power lies

Question 20

What are some examples of political sovereignty?

Answer 20

• People at times of elections
• People during referendums
• Government when it controls a majority in the UK parliament
• With devolved governments

Question 21

Why should the uk constitution be codified?

Answer 21

• It would clarify the political system (devolution, HOL reform)
• Process of judicial review would be clear and transparent
• It would introduce clear protections for the rights of citizens
• May prevent excessive executive power
• It would be clear to all what is and isn’t constitutional
• It would bring the UK into line with other modern democracies

Question 22

Why should the UK constitution NOT be codified?

Answer 22

• Current constitution is flexible and adaptable to circumstances
• It has stood the test of time
• Lack of constitutional restraints allows for a strong and decisive government
• Would give too much power to unelected judges

Question 23

What are some sources of the UK constitution?

Answer 23

• Statute law
• Common law
• Works of authority
• Conventions
• EU law

Question 24

What are two key supreme court cases?

Answer 24

• HMT vs Ahmed > Can’t freeze terror suspect assets

- 2005 Votes for prisoners > Govt. voted to ignore ECHR vote which said should be allowed

Question 25

How is the independence of judges protected?

Answer 25

• Can’t be dismissed based on decisions
• Salaries protected
• When case is underway, politicians cannot comment on it
• Judges appointed by judicial appointments committee
• Senior judges forbidden from political participation

Question 26

What shows judges aren’t independent?

Answer 26

• Parliament is sovereign, controls law
• No entrenched constitution, no limits on government power
• Ministers comment adversely on decisions