The UK Government

Question 1

What kind of government is the UK?

Answer 1

A parliamentary democracy

Question 2

Who is the head of state?

Answer 2

The monarch

Question 3

Name all parts of the central UK government.

They are also called what?

Answer 3

• The Monarch
• Parliament (both the commons and the lords)
• The Prime Minister
• The Cabinet
• The Judiciary
• The Police
• The Civil Service
• Local government

• constitutional institutions

Question 4

What is a devolved government? Where does it exist?

Answer 4

• A government with its own legislature and executives
• Wales, Scotland, and N. Ireland

Question 5

What kind of constitution does the UK have?

Answer 5

An unwritten one

Question 6

How many members does Scottish Parliament have?

Answer 6

129

Question 7

What is the Welsh Assembly (own government called?)

Answer 7

The Senedd

Question 8

What kind of election system does the central UK parliament have?

Answer 8

First past the post

Question 9

Which way should the civil service lean?

Answer 9

They must be impartial

Question 10

Up until _____ people who were _____ _____ had automatic seats in the House of Lords

Answer 10

• 1999
• Hereditary Peers

Question 11

Which 3 groups exclusively sat in the House of Lords up until 1958?

Answer 11

• Hereditary Peers
• Senior Judges
• CoE bishops

Question 12

Who CANNOT run to be an MP?

Answer 12

• Members of the Civil Service
• Anyone in the armed forces
• People convicted of certain crimes

Question 13

What are the roles of the speaker of the house?

How are they elected?

Answer 13

• Make sure order is kept
• Represent parliament in ceremonial occasions
• ensure the opposition has fair time to speak

• By a secret ballot of MPs

Question 14

What are the speaker’s political duties?

Answer 14

• To still represent the people in their constituency
• To otherwise be politically neutral

Question 15

What is campaigning during elections called?

Answer 15

Canvassing

Question 16

• What type of person can be a magistrate?
• How much are they paid?
• Which countries have magistrates?

Answer 16

• A member of the local community
• They are unpaid
• They are in England, Wales, and N. Ireland

Question 17

Which groups try to influence political parties?

Answer 17

• Pressure Groups
• Lobbying Groups

Question 18

Who can override who when it comes to the House of Commons vs House of Lords?

Answer 18

The Commons can override the Lords

Question 19

In what ways can Life Peers be chosen?

Answer 19

• By the monarch on recommendation of the PM
• by members of other political parties
• By an independent appointments commission for non-party peers

(⬆️potential peers who are not connected a certain political party)

Question 20

• How many people are in the PM’s cabinet?
• What kind of MPs are they?

Answer 20

• Approx 20
• Senior MPs

Question 21

What cabinet member looks after law & order?

Answer 21

Home Secretary

Question 22

Which Cabinet member looks after money & finance?

Answer 22

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Question 23

Which cabinet member looks after international affairs?

Answer 23

The foreign secretary

Question 24

How often does the cabinet meet?

Answer 24

Once a week

Question 25

What are the other less prominent members of the cabinet called (I.e. person who leads education etc)?

Answer 25

Secretaries of State

Question 26

What are the titles of people under the Secretaries of State

Answer 26

- Ministers of state - Parliamentary under-secretaries of state

Question 27

What is the attraction of independent MPs for voters?

Answer 27

They tend to represent an important issue in their constituency

Question 28

What are the core values of the civil service?

Answer 28

- Integrity - Honesty - Objectively - Impartiality

Question 29

What funds local authorities?

Answer 29

- Central Government - Local taxes

Question 30

When and how often are elections for local authorities held

Answer 30

Once a year in May

Question 31

What are the values of the civil service?

Answer 31

- Impartiality - objectivity - honesty - integrity

Question 32

How often are elections held for the Senedd?

Answer 32

Every 4 years

Question 33

Which country had the first devolved government? In what year was it formed?

Answer 33

N Ireland, 1922

Question 34

Why and when was the N I assembly dissolved the first time?

Answer 34

Shortly after the troubles began; 1972

Question 35

How many members are in the Senedd?

Answer 35

60

Question 36

How many members are there in the N Ireland assembly?

Answer 36

90

Question 37

What style of representation do they have for the devolved governments in Wales and Scotland?

Answer 37

Proportional representation

Question 38

Each devolved government has its own ______ _______ workers

Answer 38

Civil Service

Question 39

True or false - devolved governments can make laws and regulations completely independent of the UK Parliament

Answer 39

True (not all, but some)

Question 40

How often and when are elections for most local government positions?

Answer 40

- Every year - May

Question 41

When it comes to politics, what must TV and radio do by law?

Answer 41

Give equal time to opposing views

Question 42

What are members of the Irish Assembly called?

Answer 42

- MLAs - Members of Legislative Assembly

Question 43

How do you register to vote in the UK, except NI? How often does this happen?

Answer 43

- You get mailed an electoral register form, which you must fill out with everyone eligible to vote in the household. - This happens every year

Question 44

How do you register to vote in N Ireland? How often must you do it?

Answer 44

You must complete an individual registration form if eligible to vote No need to renew unless your personal details change

Question 45

What is registering to vote called in N Ireland?

Answer 45

Individual registration

Question 46

How do you find out where and when to vote?

Answer 46

You will get a poll card in the mail

Question 47

What do you need when you show up at the voting station?

Answer 47

- everywhere except N Ireland, you just give them your name and address - in N Ireland, you need your photo ID too

Question 48

Where do N Ireland assembly members meet?

Answer 48

Stormont in Belfast

Question 49

- What are PCSO's? - What do they do day-to-day?

Answer 49

- Police Community Support Officers - Patrol streets, work with public, support police officers at crime scenes and at major events

Question 50

What are the roles of the police?

Answer 50

- Protect life and property - Prevent disturbances/keep the peace - prevent and detect crime

Question 51

How long can you drive on a foreign licence?

Answer 51

12 months

Question 52

What does DVLA strand for?

Answer 52

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Question 53

What month and year was the Scottish Parliament building opened?

Answer 53

October 2004

Question 54

When did the Senedd building open?

Answer 54

March 2006

Question 55

How many things does the Senedd have authority over?

Answer 55

21

Question 56

Who do you contact if you want to visit the Stormont?

Answer 56

The Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service

Question 57

Who do you contact if you want to visit Holyrood?

Answer 57

Visitor Services

Question 58

Who do you contact if you want to visit the Senedd?

Answer 58

Senedd Booking Services

Question 59

What are members of the Senedd called?

Answer 59

SMs/("member of the Senedd")

Question 60

Proceedings in parliament can be read in ______

Answer 60

*Hansard*

Question 61

True or False: The Senedd has the power to pass laws on economics.

Answer 61

TRUE. The Senedd can pass laws on economic development.

Question 62

True or False: Scottish Parliament can make changes to laws, both criminal and civil.

Answer 62

True

Question 63

True or False: the Scottish Parliament can raise the cost of taxes

Answer 63

TRUE