NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATED EXAMS TEST
PAPER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Notional prerogative powers - ✔✔Enacted by the PM or Govt.
-Devises legislative agenda and writes Queen's speech
-Issues royal pardons
-Declares war and peace
-Nomination for peerages and honours
-Dissolves/ summons/ prorogues Parlt.
-Appoints ministers and others
-Gives the royal assent to bills
✔✔Where is the constitution documented? - ✔✔Statutes
Conventions
Treaties
Treatises
Case law
✔✔Statutes - ✔✔Acts of Parliament
Examples:
-Magna Carta 1215:
-Rule of law
, -Right to trial
-Bill of Rights 1689
-Parliamentary sovereignty
-Parliamentary Privilege
-Act of Settlement 1701
-Rules governing succession to throne
-Catholic heirs or those married to Catholics couldn't inherit throne
-Abolished in 2013
-Acts of Union:
-1706/7 - United England/ Wales and Scotland
-1800 - United Great Britain with Ireland
-1922 - Anglo-Ireland Treaty - Ireland divided
-Human Rights Act 1998:
-18 rights
-Laws must conform to European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
-Conservatives pledged to abolish this since 2010 and replace with a Bill of Rights and
Responsibilities tailored specifically to the UK
✔✔Parliamentary Privilege - ✔✔MPs sitting in the House of Commons or Peers in the
House of Lords can make accusations without fear of prosecution for defamation
Bill of Rights 1689 established this rule
Certain words still unacceptable, e.g. 'liar' - during Brexit negotiations in 2019, some
MPs in the House of Commons were accused of exploiting their privilege and acting in
an unparliamentary way
✔✔Conventions - ✔✔Traditions and customs that have become fabric of constitution
often by mere repetition
Sometimes absurd and well-worn
E.g. Ministerial responsibility and 'Gentleman with theb Black Rod'
✔✔Case law - ✔✔Also known as precedent or common law
Laws decided on a case by case basis that become part of the constitution
It was the method used before the notion of parliamentary democracy was present in
the UK - judges would establish laws case by case - mostly in the medieval times
✔✔Treatises - ✔✔Wise scholarship
Texts written by scholars that gain such high status or regard that they become part of
the constitution
✔✔Treaties - ✔✔International agreements
Most are 'membership agreements' so are not legally binding and states can opt out
Most are not part of the constitution so are not 'legally binding'
E.g. North Atlantic Treaty which led to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation (NATO)
E.g. 1934 Charter of UN
,✔✔Pros of a monarchy - ✔✔Provides continuity - presence of Queen Elizabeth III
through 65 years of changing government and shifting political priorities provides
degree of continuity absent from presidential states
Political distance and objectivity - hereditary monarch/ head of state maintains objective,
independent-minded distance from day-to-day workings of political process - rather than
being bound by the short term thinking that constrains politicians who are trying to get
votes from the electorate to hold their post
✔✔Cons of a monarchy - ✔✔Funded by taxpayers
People who argue for an elected head of state (i.e. republicans) suggest it is the right of
subjects to give a 'mandate' or elect and direct the ultimate ambassador of their country
✔✔Monarchy - sources of funding - ✔✔Privy purse
Personal
Sovereign grant
✔✔Sovereign grant - ✔✔Formerly 2 tax-funded payments (the Civil List and Grants-in-
Aid)
It became 1 payment in 2011
'Civil List' part:
-Originated when deal was done between George III and Treasury - he agreed to give
income from all 'Crown Lands' to the Treasury in return for an annual income for royals
-The former 'Civil List' paid for 'day-to-day' expenses (e.g. royal servant and other staff
salaries, garden parties)
-Duchy of Cornwall isn't part of the deal - Prince Charles is the Duke of Cornwall and he
earns money from it - 130,000 acres in 23 countries - £21.7 million in 2014
Grants-in-Aid part:
-Formerly covered 'occupied royal palaces' (e.g. Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle)
-Plus transport, communications e.g. phone bills
About 15% of net revenue from Royal Estates - in 2019/20 it was 82.4 million
✔✔Privy purse - ✔✔Income generated by the Queen's private estate, the Duchy of
Lancaster - 18,268 acres - 'owned' by the monarch
In 2017/18 it was £20.1 million
✔✔Personal - ✔✔Royals are free to work and earn income
They must pay income tax
E.g. Charles' biscuits
E.g. Charles, William and Harry all served in the Armed Forces
The Queen pays VAT and council tax, and income tax since 1993
, ✔✔Unitary democracy - ✔✔The UK has one of these
Through the Acts of Union (1706/7, 1800 and 1922)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
i.e. not federal like the US where each state has significant powers to do what it wants
✔✔Devolution - definition - ✔✔The transfer or delegation of powers to a lower level,
especially by a central government to local or regional administration
✔✔Government of Scotland Act 1998 - ✔✔Scotland started to receive devolved powers
over governance in their country
There have been 2 more since, in 2012 and 2016
The Scottish Parliament opened in 2004 in Holyrood
Scotland was traditionally a Labour heartland but pressure grew for the country to gain
independence after years of Conservative rule - the Scottish Nationalist Party broke the
voting mould in 2007 when they won a majority in Scotland
In 2014, a referendum on Scottish independence called by then leader of the SNP, Alex
Salmond, resulted in a 'No' with 55.3% of voters opposing independence - Brexit led to
calls for a 2nd referendum on Scottish independence
✔✔The Scottish Parliament - ✔✔Established under the Govt. of Scotland Act 1998
In Holyrood - the building was built in 2004
129 Members of Scottish Parliament
SNP governs with 63 MSPs
Leader of SNP = Nicola Sturgeon
✔✔Scotland - devolved powers - ✔✔-Education and training
-Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
-Local government
-Housing
-Many aspects of transport
-Sports and the arts
-Law and Order
-NHS Funding
-Health and Social services
-Tourism and economic development
✔✔Government of Wales Act 2006 - ✔✔Established the National Assembly for Wales
Gave Wales devolved powers
There have been two more since, in 2014 and 2017
✔✔National Assembly for Wales - ✔✔Based in Cardiff
PAPER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Notional prerogative powers - ✔✔Enacted by the PM or Govt.
-Devises legislative agenda and writes Queen's speech
-Issues royal pardons
-Declares war and peace
-Nomination for peerages and honours
-Dissolves/ summons/ prorogues Parlt.
-Appoints ministers and others
-Gives the royal assent to bills
✔✔Where is the constitution documented? - ✔✔Statutes
Conventions
Treaties
Treatises
Case law
✔✔Statutes - ✔✔Acts of Parliament
Examples:
-Magna Carta 1215:
-Rule of law
, -Right to trial
-Bill of Rights 1689
-Parliamentary sovereignty
-Parliamentary Privilege
-Act of Settlement 1701
-Rules governing succession to throne
-Catholic heirs or those married to Catholics couldn't inherit throne
-Abolished in 2013
-Acts of Union:
-1706/7 - United England/ Wales and Scotland
-1800 - United Great Britain with Ireland
-1922 - Anglo-Ireland Treaty - Ireland divided
-Human Rights Act 1998:
-18 rights
-Laws must conform to European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
-Conservatives pledged to abolish this since 2010 and replace with a Bill of Rights and
Responsibilities tailored specifically to the UK
✔✔Parliamentary Privilege - ✔✔MPs sitting in the House of Commons or Peers in the
House of Lords can make accusations without fear of prosecution for defamation
Bill of Rights 1689 established this rule
Certain words still unacceptable, e.g. 'liar' - during Brexit negotiations in 2019, some
MPs in the House of Commons were accused of exploiting their privilege and acting in
an unparliamentary way
✔✔Conventions - ✔✔Traditions and customs that have become fabric of constitution
often by mere repetition
Sometimes absurd and well-worn
E.g. Ministerial responsibility and 'Gentleman with theb Black Rod'
✔✔Case law - ✔✔Also known as precedent or common law
Laws decided on a case by case basis that become part of the constitution
It was the method used before the notion of parliamentary democracy was present in
the UK - judges would establish laws case by case - mostly in the medieval times
✔✔Treatises - ✔✔Wise scholarship
Texts written by scholars that gain such high status or regard that they become part of
the constitution
✔✔Treaties - ✔✔International agreements
Most are 'membership agreements' so are not legally binding and states can opt out
Most are not part of the constitution so are not 'legally binding'
E.g. North Atlantic Treaty which led to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation (NATO)
E.g. 1934 Charter of UN
,✔✔Pros of a monarchy - ✔✔Provides continuity - presence of Queen Elizabeth III
through 65 years of changing government and shifting political priorities provides
degree of continuity absent from presidential states
Political distance and objectivity - hereditary monarch/ head of state maintains objective,
independent-minded distance from day-to-day workings of political process - rather than
being bound by the short term thinking that constrains politicians who are trying to get
votes from the electorate to hold their post
✔✔Cons of a monarchy - ✔✔Funded by taxpayers
People who argue for an elected head of state (i.e. republicans) suggest it is the right of
subjects to give a 'mandate' or elect and direct the ultimate ambassador of their country
✔✔Monarchy - sources of funding - ✔✔Privy purse
Personal
Sovereign grant
✔✔Sovereign grant - ✔✔Formerly 2 tax-funded payments (the Civil List and Grants-in-
Aid)
It became 1 payment in 2011
'Civil List' part:
-Originated when deal was done between George III and Treasury - he agreed to give
income from all 'Crown Lands' to the Treasury in return for an annual income for royals
-The former 'Civil List' paid for 'day-to-day' expenses (e.g. royal servant and other staff
salaries, garden parties)
-Duchy of Cornwall isn't part of the deal - Prince Charles is the Duke of Cornwall and he
earns money from it - 130,000 acres in 23 countries - £21.7 million in 2014
Grants-in-Aid part:
-Formerly covered 'occupied royal palaces' (e.g. Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle)
-Plus transport, communications e.g. phone bills
About 15% of net revenue from Royal Estates - in 2019/20 it was 82.4 million
✔✔Privy purse - ✔✔Income generated by the Queen's private estate, the Duchy of
Lancaster - 18,268 acres - 'owned' by the monarch
In 2017/18 it was £20.1 million
✔✔Personal - ✔✔Royals are free to work and earn income
They must pay income tax
E.g. Charles' biscuits
E.g. Charles, William and Harry all served in the Armed Forces
The Queen pays VAT and council tax, and income tax since 1993
, ✔✔Unitary democracy - ✔✔The UK has one of these
Through the Acts of Union (1706/7, 1800 and 1922)
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
i.e. not federal like the US where each state has significant powers to do what it wants
✔✔Devolution - definition - ✔✔The transfer or delegation of powers to a lower level,
especially by a central government to local or regional administration
✔✔Government of Scotland Act 1998 - ✔✔Scotland started to receive devolved powers
over governance in their country
There have been 2 more since, in 2012 and 2016
The Scottish Parliament opened in 2004 in Holyrood
Scotland was traditionally a Labour heartland but pressure grew for the country to gain
independence after years of Conservative rule - the Scottish Nationalist Party broke the
voting mould in 2007 when they won a majority in Scotland
In 2014, a referendum on Scottish independence called by then leader of the SNP, Alex
Salmond, resulted in a 'No' with 55.3% of voters opposing independence - Brexit led to
calls for a 2nd referendum on Scottish independence
✔✔The Scottish Parliament - ✔✔Established under the Govt. of Scotland Act 1998
In Holyrood - the building was built in 2004
129 Members of Scottish Parliament
SNP governs with 63 MSPs
Leader of SNP = Nicola Sturgeon
✔✔Scotland - devolved powers - ✔✔-Education and training
-Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
-Local government
-Housing
-Many aspects of transport
-Sports and the arts
-Law and Order
-NHS Funding
-Health and Social services
-Tourism and economic development
✔✔Government of Wales Act 2006 - ✔✔Established the National Assembly for Wales
Gave Wales devolved powers
There have been two more since, in 2014 and 2017
✔✔National Assembly for Wales - ✔✔Based in Cardiff
