PM and executive Flashcards
(23 cards)
what are the three branches of the government
legislature - parliment creates law
judiciary - which settle disputes
executive -
what is a core executive
the heart of the government, consisting of those organisations and actors who co-ordinate central government activity
what is the cabinet
the prime minister and ministers (20-23) who are head of departments who make key decisions and make body in british government
what is the executive
the branch of government responsible for making policy and implementing them
in the uk the executive is the prime minister, ministers (secetory of states/ department heads) and junior ministers
what is a government department
an administrative unit of the executive that is usually responsible for a specific area of policy
what is a minister
an MP or member of the house of lords who is appointed a specific position in the government by the prime minister
what is a prime minister
head of government and the executive branch and chairs the cabinet
what are executive agencies
semi- independent bodies that carry out some of the fuctions for government departments
what is the role of the executive
implement laws and put into practice and dedicate powers
who works for ministers
civil servants who assist in making policies as government advisors and those who carry out services
what is the cabinet office
civil servants that work directly for the prime minister inside 10 downing street - usually appointed for 4 years
what are SPADs
special advisors who become temporary civil servants
what is a royal prerogative
key set of powers that originally lay with the monarch. Over the course of time they have been transferred to the PM. They are granted by Parliament and he/she therefore does not have to consult parliament to use them. They include the power to declare war, make treaties, send troops abroad, declare certain emergency powers and appoint ministers etc.
what is Patronage
whilst this includes various appointments (Lords, top civil servants etc.), the most important part of this is the power to appoint minister (part of the Royal prerogative). Every minister in the government is dependent on PM approval for their position. He can remove them without reference to anyone else. The PM also determines membership of cabinet committees. By placing the right personnel in the right places, he might be able to guide decisions.
what is the Cabinet Agenda control
allows him to determine what is talked about and therefore to some extent, what is not talked about. Chairs the cabinet. Calls emergency meetings.
what is Control of information
to colleagues, parliament and the public (top some extent)
what is defence and Foreign Policy
refer back to royal prerogative - dominates (nukes etc.)
what power do treaties have
the power of law but have no legal requirement to go through with it with no need for parliament’s approval
what is secondary legislation
a form of legislation which allows the provisions of an act of parliament to be brought into force or altered by ministers without requiring additional primary legislation
what is collective minersterial responsibility (cmr)
the principles that ministers must support cabinet decisions or resigns from the government - they defend every policy in the public and if you don’t agree to a full extent then you should leave the cabinet by resigning
what is answerability
ministers have an obligation to explain and defend the work of their Departments in Parliament
what is accountability
ministers are responsible for their own and their officials conduct and for departmental policy and should resign if serious faults are revealed in any of these matters.
what does the individual ministerial responsibility implies
The convention implies that civil servants are anonymous, responsible to their ministers alone and without and wider accountability to Parliament or general public and that their advice to ministers is secret.
