WK 7 - UK Government Flashcards
1
Q
Purpose of executive branch
A
- Make and implement public policy
- Executes and administers law enacted by legislature
2
Q
Role of executive branch
A
- Runs country
- Initiative-taker: Develops skills + designs change for public policy, & reacts to unforeseen events
- Drafts Bills
- Has majority in HoC
- Implements Acts of Parliament
3
Q
Formation of new policy
A
- Executive’s responsibility
- (If needed) legislative is parliament’s responsibility
- Implementation is executive’s responsibility
4
Q
‘Elective dictatorship’?
A
- Relationship between the executive and legislative branches
- Composition of HoC determines political nature of executive
- The government will have the support of a majority in HoC
5
Q
Composition of central government
A
- The Monarch
- Prime Ministers
- Ministers: Secretaries of State, Junior Ministers, Whips, the Lord Chancellor, Attorney-General
- Government departments
- Cabinet
- Civil service
- Special advisors
6
Q
Nature of PM office
A
- Constitutional practice rather than law
- Held along with another recognised post (now: First Lord of the Treasury)
- A range of appointments made or approved by PM (in legislative)
[e.g., commissioners, most senior civil servants, etc.]
7
Q
Powers of the Prime Minister in relation to the Cabinet
A
- Makes all appointments to ministerial office
- Controls the machinery of central government [carried out by gov’t department]
- Able to determine present priorities of gov’t
- Collective responsibility
- PM has more opportunities to present and defend gov’t policies
8
Q
Describe collective responsibility in regards to PM powers
A
- Constitutional convention
- All ministers collectively responsible for government policies, so PM is supported by all ministers
9
Q
Describe ministerial offices
A
- Some have longer history than office of PM
10
Q
Describe government departments
A
- Branches staffed by civil service and paid by Treasury fund
- Created by constitutional convention but certain aspects now legalised (e.g., Ministers of the Crown Act 1975)
- New departments are easily created or renamed
11
Q
Describe ministers of the crown
A
- ‘The holder of any office in HM Government in the UK’
- Constitutional convention that ministers come from Commons and Lords
12
Q
Describe The Ministerial Code
A
- Part of new constitutional structure, but not legally binding
- Regulates behaviour of ministers
- Published by each new PM
13
Q
Explain financial interests of ministers
A
- Overriding principle: Ministers must ensure no conflict arises, or could be reasonably perceived to arise, between their private interests + public duties
- Financial interests now published on gov’t website
- Ministerial meetings with lobbyists also published
14
Q
Cabinet composition
A
- 21-23 members, who are senior government members (including PM)
- No statute regulates Cabinet composition [only 22 salaried posts]
- Since 1960s all major departments placed under supervision of Cabinet Minister
15
Q
Is the cabinet manual legally binding?
A
No
