Theme B

Question 1

Council

Answer 1

A group of people who are elected to look after the affairs of a town, district or a county.

Question 2

Manifesto

Answer 2

A published statement of the aims and policies of a political party.

Question 3

Council Tax

Answer 3

Paid by all residents in an area - the amount payed is dependent on their house value.

Question 4

Business Tax

Answer 4

Payed by all local businesses - depends on the rent money they pay for the buildings they use.

Question 5

Seats in parliament

Answer 5

650 seats - have to get the majority 326 seats

Question 6

Hustings

Answer 6

A meeting at which candidates in an election talk with voters.

Question 7

Political Ideology

Answer 7

A set of ideas or beliefs about a particular thing. In politics it is usually left or right.

Question 8

Who can’t vote?

Answer 8

• Under 18
• EU citizen resident at the UK
• A convicted prisoner
• Have been found guilty of corrupt practices in
  an election in the last five years.
• Are a member of the House of Lords

Question 9

First Past The Post

Answer 9

An electoral system where voters have one vote in their
constituency and the candidate with the most votes wins

Question 10

Proportional representation

Answer 10

The number of seats a party wins is roughly proportional to the votes it receives in an election.

Question 11

Canvassing

Answer 11

When people try to persuade others to vote for their party in an election.

Question 12

Representative democracy

Answer 12

A form of democracy in which people elect a
representative to make decisions for them.

Question 13

Advantages of FPTP

Answer 13

• Extremist parties are unlikely to be elected
• The result becomes clear very quickly

Question 14

Disadvantages of FPTP

Answer 14

• The number of votes cast for a party does not reflect
  the number of seats won
• Smaller parties tend to win few seats because they
  don’t have enough support in each constituency
• People may vote tactically to keep a party out rather
  than for the party they believe in.

Question 15

Advantages of PR

Answer 15

• No votes are wasted
• The number of seats the parties win reflects the
  percentage of votes cast for each party.

Question 16

Disadvantages of PR

Answer 16

• The party can draw up the list of candidates so only people who agree with the powerful people in a party will be elected
• The elected MP has no local link in a big constituency
• small parties can have unfair power over the larger parties by threatening to withdraw from a coalition.

Question 17

Closed-list system

Answer 17

a form of PR in which a party puts forward a list of candidates in the order they will be elected

Question 18

What factors can affect who you vote for?

Answer 18

• Party policy
• Age, Gender and Ethnicity
• Social Class
• Religion
• Peer Influence

Question 19

Conservative policies

Answer 19

• People should own the businesses and services that we need and should be free to make a profit.
• Thinks that taxes should be as low as possible so people can choose how to spend their money
• Thinks that strong communities are built through maintaining traditional values
• Thinks that the Monarchy and the House of Lords are important in the way the country runs.

Question 20

Labour Policies

Answer 20

• Thinks that services should be provided by the government working with private companies
• Thinks that taxes should be used to help close the gap between rich and poor.
• Communities will be strong if people respect each other. - Thinks that the EU is important to the UK.

Question 21

Coalition

Answer 21

A government made of more than one party. It is formed when no one party has enough seats to form a government.

Question 22

Cabinet

Answer 22

A group of MPs who head major government departments. It meets weekly to make decisions about how government policy will be carried out.

Question 23

Back benchers

Answer 23

MPs who do not hold office in the government or opposition; they sit on the back benches in the House of Commons

Question 24

Shadow Cabinet

Answer 24

MPs from the main opposition party who ‘shadow’ MPs who head major government departments

Question 25

Speaker

Answer 25

The MP elected to act as chairman for debates in the House of Commons

Question 26

Roles of a PM

Answer 26

- directing government policy - managing the Cabinet - organising government - controlling Parliament - providing national leadership.

Question 27

The Cabinet

Answer 27

- the Treasury, which runs the finances - the Home Office, which is responsible for protecting the public - the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Office, which is responsible for the UK’s interests abroad.

Question 28

Bi-cameral

Answer 28

The UK Parliament is bi-cameral because it has two Houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords

Question 29

Black Rod

Answer 29

The person who has ceremonial duties in the Palace of Westminster, including bringing MPs to the House of Lords for the State Opening of Parliament

Question 30

The executive

Answer 30

Makes policy and puts it into practice. It is made up of the Prime Minister, Cabinet and Civil Service.

Question 31

The judiciary

Answer 31

Makes judgments about the law. It is made up of judges and magistrates in courts

Question 32

The legislature

Answer 32

Makes laws. It is made up of the House of Lords and House of Commons

Question 33

Secretary of State

Answer 33

An MP who is in charge of a government department such as health or defence

Question 34

Green Paper

Answer 34

This puts forward ideas that the government wants discussed before it starts to develop a policy.

Question 35

White Paper

Answer 35

This puts government policy up for discussion before it becomes law

Question 36

Act of Parliament

Answer 36

A law passed by Parliament

Question 37

Referendum Example

Answer 37

- Scotland 2014 - Brexit 2016

Question 38

Assembly

Answer 38

A body of people elected to decide on some areas of spending in a region.

Question 39

Devolution

Answer 39

The transfer of power from central to regional government

Question 40

British constitution

Answer 40

The laws and conventions which set down how the UK is governed.

Question 41

Judicial review

Answer 41

A review carried out by the High Court to decide whether a decision made by a public body has been made properly.

Question 42

Parliamentary inquiry

Answer 42

An enquiry set up to investigate actions taken by government departments and public bodies.

Question 43

Parliamentary sovereignty

Answer 43

Parliament is the top legal body and can pass new laws or stop old laws.

Question 44

Select committee

Answer 44

One of the committees that check and report on the work of government departments

Question 45

Total managed expenditure

Answer 45

£742 billion

Question 46

Budget

Answer 46

The process each year when the Chancellor of the Exchequer explains how the government will raise and spend its money

Question 47

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Answer 47

The member of the government who is responsible for the country’s finances

Question 48

Government revenue

Answer 48

The money raised by the government

Question 49

The House of Commons

Answer 49

Debates, constructs and votes on legislation

Question 50

The House of Lords

Answer 50

Amends legislation

Question 51

Some powers of the government and cabinets

Answer 51

- Making policy decisions - Representing the UK on the world stage - Handling events and crises - Running individual government departments

Question 52

The powers of the PM

Answer 52

- Appointing Cabinet and Government ministers - Negotiating and conferring with other leaders - Responding to crises and events

Question 53

The role of the civil service

Answer 53

- Carrying out routine administration - Enacting decisions by ministers - Advising ministers

Question 54

The role of the monarch

Answer 54

- Being a figurehead for the UK - Meeting weekly with the PM - Acting as an experienced advisor