The Executive

Question 1

Feature of the civil service that means they are not often seen in the public limelight, as ministers will defend the department’s policies in public

Answer 1

Civil Service anonymity

Question 2

The theory that power within the executive is dispersed across a network of key individuals, offices, departments and agencies, replying on cooperation

Answer 2

Core executive

Question 3

Feature of the civil service that means that the advice given to ministers is private, and that civil servants must sign the Official Secrets Act

Answer 3

Civil service confidentiality

Question 4

Term used to refer to meeting of the PM, Deputy PM, Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury during the 2010-15 coalition government

Answer 4

The Quad

Question 5

Term used to describe small, informal meetings between the PM and select ministers, advisors and officials

Answer 5

Kitchen cabinet

Question 6

Where positions of power are awarded based on talent and ability rather that political views or part affiliation- associated with the civil service

Answer 6

Meritocracy

Question 7

Government department, with over 2000 civil servants, responsible for supporting the PM, deputy PM, cabinet and cabinet committees

Answer 7

Cabinet Office

Question 8

Term associated with Tony Blair, who was said to prefer to discuss with individual ministers in No10 rather than hold full cabinet meetings

Answer 8

Sofa government

Question 9

Parts of government departments that carry out executive functions, usually services, with a degree of autonomy from ministers

Answer 9

Executive agencies

Question 10

The term used when the PM changed the composition of ministers in the cabinet

Answer 10

Cabinet reshuffle

Question 11

Blanket term used to refer to anyone who holds power within a political system

Answer 11

Political leadership

Question 12

A system of government where the cabinet is the central collective decision making body of government

Answer 12

Cabinet government

Question 13

The constitutional principle that civil servants must give advice and expertise that is free from ideological judgement or political views

Answer 13

Civil service neutrality

Question 14

The idea that the working of government should be made more transparent, and easier for parliament and the public to see and scrutinise

Answer 14

Open government

Question 15

Convention that ministers must publicly support Cabinet decisions or resign, and that all ministers should resign following a vote of no confidence

Answer 15

Collective responsibility

Question 16

The power to appoint individuals and dismiss them from important political decisions

Answer 16

Patronage

Question 17

Senior civil servants and special advisors based at 10 Downing Street who give policy advice and support with communications

Answer 17

Prime Minister’s Office

Question 18

The most senior civil servant in the country- provides policy advice to the PM and Cabinet

Answer 18

Cabinet Secretary

Question 19

Feature of the civil service that means that, unlike government ministers, civil servants do not change with a change of government

Answer 19

Civil service permanence

Question 20

Small groups of cabinet ministers, established by the PM, which meet regularly to discuss a particular policy area and make decisions

Answer 20

Cabinet Committees

Question 21

State funded organisations that are not controlled by government- perform admin, commercial, regulatory and executive functions

Answer 21

Non-departmental public bodies

Question 22

The most senior civil servant within a government department, responsible for running the department on a day to day basis

Answer 22

Permanent Under-Secretary of State

Question 23

Name for the most senior ministers, who discuss and make key decisions, alongside the PM at the very top of the government hierarchy

Answer 23

The Cabinet

Question 24

Government minister who are junior to secretaries of state and do not usually sit in the cabinet

Answer 24

Minister of State

Question 25

When a PM is seen as the main spokesperson for the government with their own source of advice and appearance of separate authority

Answer 25

Presidentialism

Question 26

A system of government where the PM rather than the cabinet dominates policy making and the operation of the government

Answer 26

Prime Ministerial government

Question 27

A special advisor employed to give positive interpretations of events to the media and promote a positive party image

Answer 27

Spin doctor

Question 28

Civil service guidelines limiting the evidence they give to select committees, designed to protect their impartiality, anonymity and confidentiality

Answer 28

Osmotherly rules

Question 29

The constitutional convention that ministers are responsible and will be held accountable for their own and their departments conduct

Answer 29

Individual ministerial responsibility

Question 30

Government departments that do not have their own minister, and are instead usually headed by a statutory board

Answer 30

Non-ministerial departments

Question 31

Government ministers who are junior to ministers of state and are not members of the cabinet

Answer 31

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State

Question 32

Meetings between two people, usually used to refer to meetings between the PM and a particular government minister

Answer 32

Bilateral meetings

Question 33

The head of the UK Government who is “primes inter pares” in the Cabinet

Answer 33

Prime Minister

Question 34

Temporary and partisan appointments made by ministers with the approval of the PM to work alongside, assist and advise them

Answer 34

Special advisors

Question 35

Theory put forwards that some Prime Ministers seek to put distance between themselves and their party to gain public support

Answer 35

Spatial leadership

Question 36

Permanent staff, employed by government departments to support ministers with administrative work and provide neutral advice and expertise

Answer 36

Civil servants

Question 37

Title usually held by Cabinet Ministers in charge of Government Departments

Answer 37

Secretary of State

Question 38

A term meaning “rule by officials” often used to refer to the civil servants who implement government policy

Answer 38

Bureaucracy

Question 39

The branch of government responsible for policy making and for implementing the laws passed by the legislative branch

Answer 39

Executive branch