Parliament

Question 1

Members of the House of Commons are elected for _ _______. The government can, within the life of Parliament, call a general election at…

Answer 1

5 years, the time of their choosing

Question 2

MP Requirements

• at least __ years of age
• cannot be members of the ______ __ _____
• Can’t be members of the ________, civil servants, members of the armed forces, or _________ _____

Answer 2

18, House of Lords, judiciary, police force

Question 3

How many hereditary peers are there? What are their rankings? (There are four)

Answer 3

92, Duke, Viscount, Earl, Baron

Question 4

What class of peers are appointed by the Monarch on advice of the PM?

Answer 4

Life peers

Question 5

Which class of peers constitute the 26 most senior bishops of the Church of England

Answer 5

Lord Spirituals

Question 6

Each session of Parliament (generally a period of __ _______) begins with the _______ _______. It’s prepared by government and outlines their __________ _______ for the following session.

Answer 6

12 months, King’s speech, legislative proposals

Question 7

What stage of a bill passage involves the formal introduction of the bill into the Chamber and where the government explains its intentions?

Answer 7

First reading

Question 8

What stage of bill passage are the principles of the bill debated?

Answer 8

Second reading

Question 9

What stage of bill passage involves a group of house members scrutinising the bill line by line, receiving evidence, and making amendments?

Answer 9

Committee stage

Question 10

What stage of bill passage involves the bill being reconsidered by the whole house in light of the committee amendments?

Answer 10

Report stage

Question 11

What stage of bill passage involves the bill’s final review?

Answer 11

Third reading

Question 12

What’s the term to describe the process that any amendments made by the other chamber must be sent back to the first chamber for approval?

Answer 12

Amendment ‘ping pong’

Question 13

Once a bill has been approved by the House of Commons and the House of Lords, it must receive _____ ______ to become law

Answer 13

Royal assent

Question 14

What is the term given to the idea that if a government bill is implementing a commitment that a party made in their manifesto, the House of Lords will grant a second reading by default?

Answer 14

Salisbury Convention

Question 15

Under the _________ _____ Under Parliament Acts 1911 - 1949, if the House of ______ block legislation already passed in the _________, and the bill is passed in the Commons again in the following year, and the _____ block it again, it will still be sent for Royal Assent

Answer 15

Suspensory veto, Lords, Commons, Lords

Question 16

Bills usually have a commencement _____ later then when the bill receives Royal assent so that the government has time to make commencement ______ and regulations to bring the law into effect

Answer 16

date, orders

Question 17

Can parts of laws have different commencement dates?

Answer 17

Yes

Question 18

When does an Act that lacks a commencement provision take effect?

Answer 18

As soon as it receives Royal Assent

Question 19

What is the name of the provision in a Bill that gives it an expiry date once it is passed into law?

Answer 19

Sunset clause

Question 20

Secondary legislation is that which is made by the __________ under the authority granted to it by an ____ __ ____________.

Answer 20

government, Act of Parliament

Question 21

Under the __________ Resolution procedure for enacting secondary legislation, a draft is laid in ____ ______ and will take effect unless either house rejects within __ _____

Answer 21

Negative, both houses, 40 days

Question 22

Under the __________ Resolution procedure for enacting secondary legislation, a draft is laid in ____ ______ and will take effect only if they ____ vote in favour

Answer 22

Affirmative, both houses, both

Question 23

Can amendments be made to the draft secondary legislation by either house under the negative or affirmative resolution procedure?

Answer 23

No

Question 24

Can secondary legislation by struck down by the courts? Why/why not?

Answer 24

Yes - because it’s made by the government and not Parliament

Question 25

What’s the name of the principle that provides that no member of Parliament can be challenged in court for anything said in Parliament?

Answer 25

Parliamentary privilege

Question 26

Parliamentary privilege does not prevent the _______ from referring to the official record of ______ in Parliament to help interpret _________ as intended by Parliament

Answer 26

courts, debates, legislation

Question 27

What’s the name of the convention that prohibits MPs and peers from referring to cases which are currently before the courts during debates?

Answer 27

Sub judicie rule