Exexcel (Pearsons) A level
Government and Politics Paper 2
Chapter 3- Prime Minister and the Executive
The Executive
The executive is made up of:
o Prime Minister
o Cabinet ministers
o Other ministers outside the Cabinet
o Civil servants (in government departments)
• Executive is the branch of government concerned with the formulation and
implementation of policy
• Civil servants put these policies into action
The role of the executive
• Making policy decisions
o The PM and cabinet set political priorities and determine the country's
overall policy direction.
o They also make day-to-day decisions on policy.
o The administrative executive executive is responsible for policy
implimation and oversee administration of the state
• Proposing a budget
o The executive devises and initiates legislation
o Most primary legislation is proposed by the executive
o The executive itself has law-making powers on secondary legislation
• Proposing legislation (public bills)
o Make key decisions on economic policy and proposes a budget
o The chancellor sets out proposed levels of taxation and public spending
Powers of the executive
Prerogative powers
• Powers exercised by ministers that do not require parliament's approval
• Collectively known as the royal prerogative
• For example:
o Making and ratifying treaties
o Deployment of the armed forces oversees
o Granting of pardons
o Organisation of the civil service
• Some prerogative powers have been clarified and limited in recent years
o It has become a constitutional convention that parliament votes on the
deployment of the armed forces overseas
Government and Politics Paper 2
Chapter 3- Prime Minister and the Executive
The Executive
The executive is made up of:
o Prime Minister
o Cabinet ministers
o Other ministers outside the Cabinet
o Civil servants (in government departments)
• Executive is the branch of government concerned with the formulation and
implementation of policy
• Civil servants put these policies into action
The role of the executive
• Making policy decisions
o The PM and cabinet set political priorities and determine the country's
overall policy direction.
o They also make day-to-day decisions on policy.
o The administrative executive executive is responsible for policy
implimation and oversee administration of the state
• Proposing a budget
o The executive devises and initiates legislation
o Most primary legislation is proposed by the executive
o The executive itself has law-making powers on secondary legislation
• Proposing legislation (public bills)
o Make key decisions on economic policy and proposes a budget
o The chancellor sets out proposed levels of taxation and public spending
Powers of the executive
Prerogative powers
• Powers exercised by ministers that do not require parliament's approval
• Collectively known as the royal prerogative
• For example:
o Making and ratifying treaties
o Deployment of the armed forces oversees
o Granting of pardons
o Organisation of the civil service
• Some prerogative powers have been clarified and limited in recent years
o It has become a constitutional convention that parliament votes on the
deployment of the armed forces overseas
