final destination Flashcards
(33 cards)
- What convention ties cabinet members to government policy?
Collective Responsibility:
All cabinet members must publicly support government decisions, even if they privately disagreed during discussions.
- How often does the cabinet meet?
Usually once a week, often on Thursday mornings when Parliament is in session.
- What organization helps run the communication network for ministers in Britain?
The Cabinet Office:
It supports the Prime Minister and ensures smooth communication and coordination between ministers and departments.
- What is the traditional name for the official residence of the Prime Minister in Britain?
10 Downing Street, often just called Number 10.
- What is the central tax collected by local councils based on?
Property value:
The tax is based on the value of your home, placed into a valuation band.
- What replaced the community charge in the early 1990s?
The Council Tax:
Introduced in 1993, it replaced the unpopular Poll Tax because it charged everyone the same amount, no matter how much money they earned or what kind of property they lived in.(Community Charge).
In contrast, the Council Tax is based on the value of a person’s home.
The Council Tax is collected by local councils and helps pay for local services like rubbish collection, schools, police, and fire services.
- What percentage of a local council’s income is given to it by central government?
Approximately 75% of a local council’s income used to come from central government grants.
This meant that local councils relied heavily on national funding to provide public services like education, waste collection, and social care.
Over time, reforms aimed to increase local responsibility and accountability, gradually reducing this percentage.
- What was the fate of the Greater London Council in the early 1980s?
In 1986, the Greater London Council (GLC) was abolished by the Conservative government under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The GLC had been a powerful local authority responsible for strategic planning, transport, and housing in London.
The government claimed it was wasteful and inefficient, but others saw the move as politically motivated, since the GLC often clashed with central government.
Its functions were later transferred to individual boroughs or national government departments.
- When was “The English Constitution” published?
1867, Walter Bagehot
- Who wrote “The English Constitution”?
Walter Bagehot (pronounced “Bad-jut”)
- What set out the foundations of constitutional monarchy?
The Bill of Rights (1689) laid the legal foundation for constitutional monarchy in England.
It was passed after the Glorious Revolution, which brought William III and Mary II to the throne.
It limited the powers of the monarch and required them to govern with the consent of Parliament, ensuring that monarchs could no longer rule by divine right or without legal limits.
- What sets out the rights and duties of the Sovereign?
The Coronation Oath outlines the monarch’s rights and duties.
During the coronation, the monarch swears to govern the people according to the laws agreed in Parliament, uphold justice, and protect the Church.
This oath symbolizes the monarch’s constitutional role, not as a ruler with absolute power, but as a ceremonial and legal head of state bound by law.
- Who is the Head of the Privy Council?
The monarch (currently King Charles III) is the Head of the Privy Council.
The Privy Council is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign, composed of senior politicians, judges, and clergy.
The monarch’s role is mostly ceremonial, while real decisions are made by government ministers acting in the monarch’s name.
- When were hereditary peers removed from the House of Lords?
In 1999, the House of Lords Act was passed.
This law removed most hereditary peers, reducing their number from over 750 to just 92.
The reform aimed to make the House of Lords more democratic and merit-based, though full reform is still ongoing.
- What is the oldest form of legislative assembly still functioning in the UK?
The Tynwald on the Isle of Man is the oldest continuous parliament in the world.
It has existed for over 1,000 years, with origins in Norse rule.
It is still the legislative body of the Isle of Man, a Crown dependency.
- Who is involved in the arrangements for the appointment of the High Sheriffs of England and Wales?
The monarch, Privy Council, and local authorities are involved.
High Sheriffs are appointed annually by the monarch in a ceremony called the Pricking Ceremony.
Their role today is mostly ceremonial, supporting the judiciary and law enforcement.
- What is the court of final appeal for the UK overseas territories and Crown dependencies?
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) serves as the highest court of appeal.
It hears cases from the UK overseas territories (like Bermuda) and Crown dependencies (like Jersey and Guernsey).
It also used to be the final court for many Commonwealth countries.
- How often does the Privy Council meet?
It usually meets once a month.
Meetings are brief and formal, often held at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
Only a small group of Privy Counsellors attend each meeting to approve formal matters, like royal proclamations or orders-in-council.
- Who is the principal founder of the English navy?
King Henry VIII is considered the principal founder of the modern English navy.
In the 16th century, he invested heavily in shipbuilding and naval dockyards.
He created a standing navy, giving England the strength to control sea routes and defend against invasion.
- Who is known as “Grandmamma of Europe”?
Queen Victoria earned this nickname.
Her many children and grandchildren married into royal families across Europe.
As a result, she became the ancestor of most European monarchs, linking the royal houses of Britain, Germany, Russia, and others.
- Who is known as “The Virgin Queen”?
Queen Elizabeth I is called “The Virgin Queen”.
She never married and portrayed herself as married to her country.
Her image as a powerful, independent ruler helped strengthen national pride during the Elizabethan era.
- Who inherited the throne in 1837?
Queen Victoria inherited the British throne in 1837, at the age of 18.
Her reign, known as the Victorian Era, lasted until 1901 and marked a period of industrial progress, empire expansion, and cultural change.
- What are the three recognized stages of education in the British system?
Primary Education – for children aged 5 to 11.
Secondary Education – for students aged 11 to 16 (compulsory), continuing to 18 (optional).
Tertiary Education – post-secondary education, including universities, colleges, and vocational training.
- At what age do children typically transition from primary to secondary school?
British children usually move to secondary school at age 11.
This change marks the end of Key Stage 2 and the start of Key Stage 3 in the national curriculum.
