NCTJ Public Affairs Revision Definitions

ollective responsibility - CORRECT ANSWER-• All government ministers must publicly support government policy. • They must resign if they do not. Individual ministerial responsibility - CORRECT ANSWER-• If something goes wrong in their individual department, a minister should resign. e.g. Chris Grayling, Minister for Transport, should resign but hasn't. Backbench MPs - CORRECT ANSWER-• A backbench MP is an MP who is not a member of the governmen or the shadow opposition. e.g. Robert Halfon for Harlow Responsibilities of backbench MPs - CORRECT ANSWER-• Represent their constituents. • They take part in debates and votes in Parliament. • Hold surgeries where constituents can bring up issues they have. • Backbench MPs can put questions to ministers. • Some are members of select committees (which are linked to government departments, e.g. R